Rising levels of religious hatred directed at Catholics in Scotland has prompted calls for action from church leaders who warn the government's 'vague' approach is failing to cut through.

Catholic leaders will meet ministers after the summer recess and will urge them to admit the high frequency of incidents targeted at Catholics, according to the Scotsman.

Despite making up only 17 per cent of the Scottish population, 57 per cent of religious aggravated crime is directed at Catholics or Catholicism, 2016-17 hate crime figures released in June revealed.

They showed a 14 per cent rise on the previous year and the total of 673 incidents amounts to the highest number in four years.

The Catholic hierarchy highlights the government's reluctance 'name and shame' these attacks in an article for the paper, calling on ministers to adopt a specific strategy.

Scottish Catholic Media Office director, Peter Kearney, says the trend shows Scotland 'remains scarred by past hatreds and tumults'.

In an article to be published this week, he writes: 'Were any other type of crime to be dominated so completely by a single type of behaviour, we might expect a targeted strategy to emerge, ­promoted by the authorities as a response to a particular problem.'

He points to other government campaigns such as the crackdown on using mobile phones while driving and says similar specific and direct action is needed.

'The approach is sensible and logical, before a problem can be tackled, it must first be identified and addressed,' he says.

'Surprisingly, this doesn't happen when it comes to religious intolerance and the criminal behaviour which goes with it.

'An indication of the government's unwillingness to adopt a name and shame approach to religious hate crime came in those recent parliamentary exchanges.'

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: 'There is no place for any form of prejudice in Scotland.

'We are committed to tackling all forms of discrimination and promoting a multi-cultural society based on mutual trust, respect and understanding.

'Everyone has the right to be safe and to feel safe which is why we are committed to building strong, resilient and supportive communities for all.'