places of military detention and places where people are detained under the Mental Health Act. Election of committee members took place in September 1989 but no visits have yet taken place. Corporal punishment 100. In 1982, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the United Kingdom was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in failing to respect the philosophical convictions of parents who were opposed to the use of corporal punishment for their children in schools. In its second periodic report, the United Kingdom Government recorded its intention to introduce legislation which would give effect to the Court's judgement. 101. Sections 47 and 48 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 and an Order in Council for Northern Ireland abolished the use of corporal punishment in State-maintained schools. The law also exempts from corporal punishment most pupils at independent schools whose fess are met by the Government or by local education authorities. Regulations are due to be made which will effectively exempt the remainder of such pupils and those whose fees are met by other public bodies. 102. Corporal punishment in privately funded schools has not been made unlawful as such but, althouth no statistics are available, the Government believes that it is now rarely used. The Society of Teachers Opposed to Physical Punishment has stated that no girls' schools now use corporal punishment and that only 40 per cent of boys' schools continue to make the penalty available. 103. When the law changed, a number of applications to the European Commission of Human Rights which had arisen from the use of corporal punishment in State-maintained schools remained outstanding. The Government offered the applicants ex gratia payments on condition that they withdrew their applications. These offers have been accepted. The European Commission 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the UK's laws and regulations regarding corporal punishment in schools, as well as its compliance with international human rights law. The focus is on education and the protection of children's rights, rather than any other category.

**Category**
Education