Parents should be banned smacking their children, a Scottish child protection chief has said.

Outgoing children's commissioner Tam Baillie said Scotland is one of only five countries in Europe which does not give children and adults equal protection from assault.

He has urged the Scottish Government to scrap the law which protects parents who hit their children.

Mr Baillie, who departs his role on May 17 and eight years in office, told the Herald: "The Scottish Government has an ambition for Scotland to be the best country in the world to bring up children.

"How can we claim that as long as we maintain this tradition of physical punishment?"

Mr Baillie refuted arguments claiming banning the act would interfere with parents' rights and risk criminalising them for disciplining their children.

He said evidence pointed to smacking bans leading to a drop in physical assault of children, and added: "Ireland changed the law and it has not resulted in parents being criminalised or being unable to control their children.

"There has been some evidence of a rise in people seeking help when they are in difficulties. There are other ways of being able to parent your child."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Our child protection improvement programme will ensure every child in Scotland at risk of harm or abuse receives the best possible support and protection.

"We do not support physical punishment and we do not consider it effective.

"We do not, however, support a ban as we do not think that would be appropriate and effective."