A CROSS-party group of MPs has demanded “urgent” changes to Theresa May's Brexit bill following concerns that powers being repatriated from Brussels are being hoarded in London.

Westminster's influential Scottish affairs committee said that UK ministers must not impose their Brexit legislation on Scotland.

The committee, which has four Scottish Tory MPs, said that the UK Government must seek the agreement of ministers at Holyrood over the plans.

Both the Scottish and Welsh administrations have branded the legislation – which has begun its committee stage in the House of Commons – a ''power grab''.

They claim it would return responsibilities in devolved areas such as agriculture from Brussels to London.

However, the committee said that "urgent action is needed to end the stalemate" between the UK Government and devolved administrations over the issue It issued the call before the House of Commons considers the devolution sections of the crucial Brexit legislation.

The report follows talks between Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May at 10 Downing Street during which the First Minister reiterated that the bill was not acceptable in its current form.

It urges the UK Government to agree which powers will be devolved directly to the Scottish Parliament, as well as those subject to common UK arrangements.

The changes should be published in time for the final Commons stage of the bill, the committee says.

UK ministers are also asked to work with the devolved administrations to agree how the EU powers should be distributed. Scottish ministers should be consulted about the changes, it added.

SNP chairman Pete Wishart, setting out the findings, said: "We have heard serious concerns about the impact the EU (Withdrawal) Bill could have on Scotland's devolution settlement.

"The Scottish Government has been clear that it cannot recommend that the Scottish Parliament gives its consent to the bill as it is currently drafted, but we were encouraged by the Secretary of State for Scotland and Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary's desire to resolve outstanding issues, and the level of agreement between the two ministers on many areas.

"We welcome the efforts which are being undertaken by both sides to achieve this. That said, we believe the government needs to take urgent action to improve the bill and provide greater clarity about the implications of this legislation for Scotland's devolution settlement.

"Central to our recommendations is the importance of agreeing a way forward with the devolved administrations, and securing consent in relation to future UK-wide frameworks."

Scotland's Brexit minister Michael Russell said: "I welcome the committee's conclusion that any common frameworks must not be imposed by the UK Government but should be agreed between the UK Government and the devolved administrations, crucially as equal partners.

"Indeed the UK Government itself has now signed up to principles for discussing UK frameworks that respect the devolution settlement.

"As we have repeatedly said, we cannot recommend that the Scottish Parliament gives consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill as currently drafted."

In response, a UK Government spokesperson said: "We have received the report and will respond in due course.

"This bill delivers certainty for all parts of the UK, including Scotland as we prepare to leave the EU.

"We are currently discussing with the devolved administrations where common frameworks are and are not needed. We are clear that we will not need frameworks in all of the EU areas and the devolved administrations will get more powers from this process."

Adding, "We will listen to all of those who offer improvements to the Bill, but we will not do anything that risks undermining the benefits of the UK, such as its internal market."