Iain Duncan Smith has visited Glasgow's Easterhouse estate on a "fact finding mission" to examine community projects in deprived areas.

The Conservative leader is visiting the inner city estate as part of the Tories' wider public services agenda, "looking at mainstream concerns that people have to worry about every day".

"I think it is important for the Conservative Party to re-engage with estates and areas like this. It's not just about winning votes. If you are going to govern the country you obviously have to govern for all the people. And problems in areas like this are largely part of the difficulties that spread all the way through the rest of the country," he said.

"Our absolute priority now is to focus in on the failing public services. People who suffer most from failing public services in many senses are on estates like this."

Highlighting the issue of housing, Duncan Smith is "showing support" for plans to transfer thousands of homes from local authority to housing association control - a move in line with his backing for a beefed up role for the voluntary sector in public services.

"I support Scottish Conservatives who are strongly in favour of local government housing stock transfers to housing associations, housing co-ops and other providers, coupled with debt reduction," he said.

"We want to promote community ownership of social housing as part of promoting a more neighbourly society and this is just one of many visits we hope to carry out."

The Tory leader will also participate in an open meeting of the Scottish Conservative and Churches Forum.

Duncan Smith envisages religious groups as playing a key role in providing welfare, in the face of what he regards as "politically correct criticism" from secular liberals.

"I am determined that they should play a much greater role in the welfare society," he said in August last year. "The state can provide funds, but it cannot provide hope. This is an example of where directing more aid through voluntary organisations, including faith-based ones, can improve results."