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Social justice minister Margaret Curran has announced a major review of Scotland’s social housing, writes Nicola Barry.

Curran said she would begin a consultation to deliver a Scottish standard to cover heating, security and the condition of kitchens and bathrooms.

"This is a major evolution of housing policy," Ms Curran said, "It builds upon and compliments the central policy of community ownership. Too much of our social housing fails to reach the standards we expect a modern country to provide."

In a statement to the Scottish parliament the minister also promised to review the process of council house stock transfer. She announced greater flexibility for councils in borrowing for improvements.

Referring to three successful housing stock transfer ballots so far in Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders, she added: "Wholesale stock transfer is still the best way forward for local authorities to regenerate council housing and to bring it up to the new standard."

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, registered social landlords and organisations such as the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Chartered Institute of Housing and Shelter will be consulted about the content of the new Scottish standard.