Only a small percentage of Scottish households has taken advantage of an insulation deal introduced three years ago by the SNP, the Scotsman newspaper has reported.

Fewer than 0.04% of households - 841 of 2.37m - has joined the green homes initiative, which offers council tax discounts to home-owners prepared to get their lofts and walls insulated.

The initiative forms part of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, an ambitious attempt to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But a Freedom of Information survey of Scotland's 32 councils showed the very low take-up rate for the scheme.

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At 13 local authorities, not a single application was made for the council tax energy efficiency discount scheme.

Fewer than one household a day took the offer up, and less than £46,000 of council tax rebates have been awarded across the country.

The scheme operates in conjunction with energy companies, who carry out cavity wall insulation or loft insulation and refund the council tax reduction to the local authority.

After an initial investment, typically of a few hundred pounds, the home-owner recoups annual energy bill savings.

Opposition politicians called on the Scottish Government to do more to promote the scheme.

Gavin Brown, the Conservative MSP who conducted the survey, told the Scotsman the take-up rate was "truly pathetic".

He said: "The Scottish Parliament passed world-leading climate change legislation but the SNP Government has failed to deliver on the ground.

"The Government needs to explain why the results are so poor and tell us what action they intend to take to get the scheme back on track."

(NE)