Law making it illegal to transfer music from your CD to your iPod gets overhaul

However, that could be about to change with proposals to legalise "for private use" the copying of compact discs on to computers or MP3 players.

The practice of transferring music from one format to another is technically illegal, although in reality there is little prospect of anyone being prosecuted for it.

If the Government proposals go ahead, music on a computer could be legally copied to a blank CD and old CDs could be transferred to an iPod for private use.

They would also allow a legally downloaded movie to be put on to DVD.

Multiple copying and "file sharing" over the internet however would still be banned and it may still be against the law to lend or give away a copy of music or a movie to a friend.

The proposed changes to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 follow a widespread review of the law which many feel is out of date. The plans will be put out to consultation until April.

Intellectual Property Minister Lord Triesman said: "In an increasingly digital world, we need to be sure our copyright system keeps up with the times and works effectively."

There is likely to be little opposition to the changes.

However, the finer details, such as whether the rules should be applied to existing CDs or only new discs and how "private use" is defined, may prompt a more heated debate.

There are also concerns the plans fail to tackle digital issues like internet "file sharing" - a practice which means that only around one in 20 downloads are now paid for.

Last November the British Phonographic Industry called for action to make internet service providers do more to encourage customers to obey the law and stop internet "theft" of music.

BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor said: "The key thing for us is that any changes to the law achieve the stated aim of clarifying the law for consumers, whilst not doing harm to rightsholders."

The National Consumer Council said users were confused because transferring music between formats was possible because of technological advances but was illegal from a copyright point of view.

Spokesman Jill Johnstone said: "That's why we support moves to update this discredited law."