Last week in Parliament MP's voted on the Children's Bill.

New laws were debated that would provide for better co-operation between social services, schools and health services so all children get a better deal and so tragic children like Victoria Climbie cannot slip between the cracks between professionals when they face abuse.

However the reporting of the debate rested almost entirely on a tightening of the law in relation to smacking.

The government did not ban smacking as some reported.

It simply set out some limits to the use of physical force instead of the old wording of "reasonable chastisement" that was open to wide interpretation and use.

Neither I, nor the government, believe that it is right to criminalise parents for smacking their own child.

It is difficult enough bringing up children without the state interfering in these family matters.

The Labour government has worked hard to be on the side of sensible, hard working parents. Take the new rights for parents of children under six to ask for changes to their working hours. I am delighted to hear that nearly one million parents have requested these changes and that nine out of 10 of such requests have resulted in some change in hours.

The Children's Tax Credit helps families with a joint income of up to £58,000 with some of the costs of bringing up children and the record rise in Child Benefit helps too.

Now we are talking about going further to support children - new nursery provisions, wrap around care at schools, a Sure Start centre in every community.

Ensuring that all our children get the best possible start in life is crucial to the nation's future prosperity as well as simply being the right thing to do.

Jacqui Smith MP