Union leaders have called on Government ministers to scrap controversial "zero-hour" contracts after a poll showed that more than half of the public now support a ban.

The YouGov survey also revealed that even more people (67%) said that they thought that the contracts were a bad thing for employees.

More than one million people across the UK are thought to be on the terms which offer no guarantee of work or pay.

Fast food chain McDonald's is among those who have been named as employing staff in this way.

Employees working for the Church of Scotland social care arm Crossreach are also on the deals.

Business leaders say that the contracts create much-needed flexibility that can help employees as well as employers.

But trade union leaders warned that the contracts leave workers unable to plan ahead because they do not know from one week to the next. They also do not know how many hours they will work or how much money they will be paid.

Unite Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty: "The fact that two-thirds of people view zero-hours contracts negatively and a clear majority want to see them banned should compel the UK Government to act now on this scandal.

"The harsh reality of zero-hour contracts is of low-pay and insecure employment misery, not knowing if there will be work available or money coming in from one day to the next.

"It's a shameful employment practice that effectively forces workers and their families to live their lives in limbo."