Sex laws to be reformed

Home Secretary Jack Straw will consider the review in July

Sex laws in England and Wales are to be overhauled to iron out ancient anomalies, Downing Street has confirmed.

The reforms could allow gay men to kiss in public for the first time without the risk of a five year prison sentence.

They could also mean better protection for victims of child sex abuse and male victims of rape, and a redefinition of terms such as prostitution and incest.

Many of the sex laws currently in force contain massive anomalies and date back to the time of the Napoleonic wars.

Home Secretary Jack Straw set up a sexual offences review group to consult widely on how they could be modernised and a report is expected in July.

Punishing abusers

A No 10 spokesman said. "What it's about is giving greater protection to people from sex crimes, and to children.

"It's about how we can punish abusers more effectively and ensure people can live without fear."

The spokesman said the proposals would be put out for full public consultation before the government drew up legislation.

Changes to the law are likely to produce a political storm if the reaction to the government's plans to reform Section 28 is repeated.

One of the main areas of change expected is a reform of the laws governing incest. The offence may be widened to cover step-parents, rather than just blood relations as is currently the case.

Reform of rape laws

Measures are also likely to be introduced to give children greater protection for abuse by carers.

Reforms are also expected on rape laws, following concern over low conviction rates.

While anomalies in the law which see men and women face different charges if they have consensual sex with under-age children and the fact that only men can be charged for indecent exposure may too be ironed out.

The law which means only men can be charged with living off the earnings from prostitution may also be changed.