The executive says the issue is not just about "roofs over heads"

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations is calling for twice as many new homes to be built than the Scottish Executive is committed to providing.

Currently almost a quarter of a million Scots are on local authority waiting lists and more new applicants are coming forward than are currently being re-housed.

Last year alone, 17,000 public sector homes were sold through the right to buy scheme but the Scottish Executive is committed to building only 5,000 such houses a year.

The federation said recent legislation meant that, by 2012, local authorities would be required to provide all homeless people with a roof over their heads.

The real issue here is that the funding for new homes has fallen, while demand has risen David Orr

But it claims that without affordable social housing available, councils will not be able to meet their commitments.

Federation chief executive David Orr said: "The real issue here is that the funding for new homes has fallen, while demand has risen.

"If we were investing the same amount in new build as we were in 1995, we would be building an extra 2,500 homes every year.

"That would go a long way to meet the problems we are going to be facing very shortly."

However Deputy Housing Minister Mary Mulligan told BBC Radio Scotland: "It's not just about a roof over people's heads, there are complexities that need to be looked at such as the kind of housing required, the size, the type, where it should be and what different needs people have.

"There are new houses being built but what we need to do is make sure that they are in the right place, that they are the right size for a family and that they are of the right quality - these are the issues that the executive is trying to address."