Shelter Scotland, the campaigning housing charity, has welcomed publication of a government consultation: the Future of Right to Buy in Scotland and has called for the sale policy which it calls "out-dated" to be abolished...

The charity says the right to buy policy that was designed in the 1970s is not relevant for the current Scottish housing landscape and wants to see it scrapped to protect Scottish council house stock...

The charity says currently there is more demand for social housing than is currently available...

"Shelter Scotland’s preferred option is to scrap right-to-buy and consign it to the history books..." explains Director of Shelter Scotland, Graeme Brown...

The charity says 10,000 new homes a year need to be built in Scotland and is calling for a new policy that protects existing council house stock and promotes future expansion of social housing...

For starters, the sale of council housing is neither cost-efficient or egalitarian says Shelter, with the sale of council housing incurring a cost by the local authority that paid for the houses, because they are forced to sell them off at a big discount, as well as increasing the waiting list of those who are seeking them...

The charity is promoting complete abolition of the right to buy as the best option which will do most to protect the existing social rented housing stock and help those in need...

The key issue, of course, is to tackle a housing crisis which currently sees many people, young people especially, priced out of home ownership; and for those on lower incomes or other disadvantaged groups especially the homeless, extreme difficulty accessing decent rented housing...

Abolition of the right to buy and the promotion of good quality, affordable social housing would as well as helping the homeless also help many other people, including those from single parent households, low income families, including many elderly households; as well as the disabled and other groups with specific needs...

Obviously the issue is not exclusive to Scotland either, albeit it is being debated in Scotland and one suspects that with homelessness on the rise across the UK; rising youth unemployment, as well as other broader economic factors, that the vast majority of the public across Britain would welcome a reformation of social housing policy for the greater good...

I.e. the provision of affordable, quality, sustainable homes and a system that is created around providing safe, enjoyable living conditions, rather than fuelling profit...

Of course it will all have to be paid for...

During the post-war period social housing was more widespread in the UK but a policy towards sale of local authority housing began in the 1980s; and now social housing is largely available for those in only desperate circumstances...

Shelter in England also sees reform of social housing as a priority...

An increase in quality social housing if handled right could help to relieve the problems of homelessness, reduce poverty and help to improve social cohesion in communities, says the charity...

The issue is calling out for vision and leadership; and as such many outside Scotland will also be following the plans of the Scottish parliament with interest...