London, Aug 21 (IANS): A parliamentarian in Britain is urging Prime Minister David Cameron to allow parents to smack their kids as he maintains that state interference in family life is damaging home discipline.

Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming has said parental authority had been undermined by years of legislation including confusion over smacking children, Daily Express reported.

With riots proving discipline had broken down, Hemming said, it was time for the government to return power to parents.

He said: "The inquiry into the riots must look at the way in which the state undermines parental discipline. Smacking children rarely does any long-term harm but allowing children to grow up in an undisciplined manner is damaging for the child and society as a whole. Children have been placed on the child protection register for being smacked. This undermines discipline."

According to Hemming, the inquiry should also examine why children in local authority care were 10 times more likely to have been involved in riots than those cared for by their parents.

He said: "It does raise questions as to whether social workers take a lax approach to the involvement of children in their care in criminal activities."