RADICAL new plans have been unveiled for a major shake-up of Scotland's inheritance laws.

Spouses and dependent children would be given greater protection against being disinherited, while co-habiting partners would also see their rights to make a claim on an estate extended.

And in cases where a person dies without leaving a will, the Scottish Law Commission says surviving spouses should inherit their entire estate.

The SLC says the overhaul is needed to reflect changes in society such as the legal recognition of gay relationships, the increasing number of step-families and divorces.

Its report deals with two major issues - the position of surviving spouses, civil partners and co-habitants when a person dies without having made a will; and the protection of close relatives from being disinherited.

It says that the current rules governing intestacy sometimes fail to provide a fair result for surviving partners and therefore should be changed.

At present the dead person's parents, and other relatives, can inherit more than the spouse. The SLC wants that changed.

The other major proposal deals with close relatives who are disinherited. Under Scots law someone who makes a will is able to disinherit any member of his or her close family by leaving all of their estate to other people.

The SLC said there was "strong and consistent public support" for some protection for spouses, civil partners and dependent children.