David Hinchliffe, Labour chairman of the health select committee, is to introduce legislation which would take away parents' right to justify smacking their children as "reasonable chastisement".

"Other countries that have banned smacking have seen a significant reduction in child abuse. In Sweden, not one child has died at the hands of a parent or carer over the last 10 years, compared with at least one a week in this country," he said.

Interviewed in the Guardian, minister for children Margaret Hodge says: "In my view it would be wonderful if parents didn't smack, but - being one who in my time has smacked - I couldn't preach what I didn't do."