A Conservative frontbench MSP is calling for the Scottish parliament to consider reintroducing the belt into schools as a way of tackling feral children, writes Iain Harrison.

Alex Johnstone, the party’s transport spokesman, said he believes it was a mistake for local authorities to scrap corporal punishment and that teachers should be allowed to use it where necessary.

Last year there were more than 9,100 attacks on school staff. A report last week by the charity Barnardo’s Scotland revealed almost half of adults believe children are dangerous and behave like animals.

Johnstone said he was “tempted” to back the phased reintroduction of the belt,

adding: “School discipline is reaching crisis point and giving individual headteachers the power to decide whether or not to use capital punishment would be a good move.

“This issue is certainly worthy of debate in the Scottish parliament because it is one that needs to be dealt with.”

Strathclyde became the first authority to ban corporal punishment, in 1974. A national ban followed 12 years later.

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