The Scottish Executive has insisted it is on course to end "fuel poverty" by tackling condensation and dampness.

Communities Minister Wendy Alexander said its policies would improve 200,000 homes in four years and provide the means to upgrade another 100,000.

Four leading charities have accused the executive of backtracking on promises to rid the country of cold, damp homes.

The Scottish Warm Homes Campaign launched by Shelter, Age Concern, Friends of the Earth and the Association for the Conservation of Energy said Labour's pledge to make the poorest homes warm was not being fulfilled.

More than a third of all residential properties in Scotland are estimated to be cold and damp and the problem is felt most acutely by people on low incomes who are unable to afford proper heating and insulation.

Limits on commitments

The campaign group - which has pledged to end fuel poverty by 2007 - claimed that although Labour promised fuel efficiency at affordable prices within two terms of government it has already put limits on its commitments.

It said fuel poverty - where people do not have enough money to heat their homes to a comfortable and healthy level - affected 700,000 households in Scotland.

However, Shelter Scotland director, Liz Nicholson, said: "Poor quality accommodation is expensive to heat and the cold Scottish winters cause huge financial and health problems for lower income households.

"This must not be allowed to continue. We want the Scottish Parliament to revive the commitment to end fuel poverty by 2007."

Friends of the Earth director Kevin Dunion said the executive had backtracked on its commitment to end fuel poverty and instead was "merely" improving energy efficiency.

Age Concern director Maureen O'Neill believes politicians now need to make a "firm commitment" to eradicate the problem "once and for all".

'Warm Deal scheme'

Ms Alexander responded: "Through the Healthy Homes Initiative we are well on our way to delivering our promise on tackling condensation and dampness for the elderly and those on lower incomes.

"The Warm Deal scheme, introduced on 1 July 1999, is injecting £40 million of resources into improving Scottish properties by providing free insulation.

"Tackling dampness and condensation is about three things. We are on course to make 300,000 households warmer.

"The £100 winter fuel allowance payment, is helping 700,000 Scottish pensioners heat their homes, and the minimum income guarantee has increased the minimum pension for a single pensioner above the rate of inflation."