SCOTLAND is set to ban the smacking of children.

The legislation will remove the defence of ''justifiable assault'' in Scots law, which allows parents to use physical punishment to admonish a child.

The move would make Scotland the first part of the UK to introduce a ban on smacking children.

We asked our readers what they thought of the ban and whether it should be introduced in England.

Here is what they have said:

Allison Malloch: This is why kids are turning into little swines ... no discipline!

Lianne Atkinson: Didn’t do me any harm getting a clip for being naughty, soon learnt my lesson to not do it again!

Carl Macar: Bring back the slipper.

Louise Nelson: I used to get the slipper. You soon learn to respect adults. This is the what kids need. Not running riot on the streets.

Janet Brown: It should never been banned period. Kids have no respect now and now doing this to let them rule adults. Remember everyone has a breaking point

Louise Durham: What about when a child hits a parent then? Seen it happen plenty of times, is that still assault?

Amy Appleby: I always got a smack when I'd done something wrong and the only "lasting effects" it's had on me are respect and knowing how to behave.

Zena Braithwaite: I think the only time it is mildly acceptable to smack a child is if they are in clear danger, touching something hot or electrical; shout no and smack their hand or similar. Other than that there are other better ways to discipline a child. You shouldn't do to a child what you wouldn't do to an adult.

Stokeld Goodwin: A smack across your bum did me no harm. If i reported it, i would get another one.

Lucy Stead: Being smacked clearly did cause you harm If you now think it's acceptable to hit children.

Carrie Blake: Yes. Discipline can be implemented without violence

Mark Robinson: Purely circumstantial in my opinion. Corporal punishment didn't do any harm back in the day. But the stuff you see what kids are getting up to these days that you see on social media, bullying, stealing, vandalism, elders getting disrespected etc I could go on. Some kids need a serious good hiding. When I got a smack it made me think what I did wrong.

Shaun Teasdale: A sign that a parent has ran out of the necessary parenting skills he/she needs to be a parent.

Lisa Tedstill: That will mean having the threat of being skelped will disappear:

Tracey Kieran: The words every child used to fear: 'Wait til your dad/mam gets in.'

Mark Johnson: No, soon learn not to do things. As long as it's not a hard smack don't see a problem.

Sylvia Jones: Yes ban it, physical abuse is not wanted. I had three children and I never had to resort to abuse, there are other ways.

Dawn Bradley: Getting a smack did me no harm, i thought twice about misbehaving, backchatting my parents and stuff, kids today are wild cos theres no discipline!

Deborah Appleby Boland: Never done me any harm. Had my backside rattled a few times but i knew who was boss

Dave Wilson: There's a difference between a smack and a beating. 

Stacy Dunn: Screaming and shouting at your kids actually has longer mental affects than a little clip. What do you do when nothing else works? When you have put your kids on the naughty step thousands of times

Sam Bradford: No it shouldn't be banned, kids today have no respect. If you want to smack your children you should be able to, a tap on the legs didn't do me any harm

Kathleen Bailey: Didn't do us any harm - grew up to respect our parents and elders, teachers included!