The UK Government has been accused of showing disregard for the Scottish Parliament after its Employment Minister allegedly reneged on a commitment to appear before MSPs.

Labour MSP Hugh Henry, convener of Holyrood's Welfare Reform Committee, said Priti Patel agreed to give public evidence during informal talks with MSPs in October.

However, the Conservative minister said she is now unable to attend before the pre-election dissolution of Holyrood due to "parliamentary commitments".

SNP MSP Clare Adamson, deputy convener, accused the UK Government of "a complete disregard for the role of the Scottish Parliament".

In a letter to MSPs, Ms Patel said: "I regret that my parliamentary commitments have so far meant that I have been unable to come to the committee again.

"It is also very unlikely, for the same reasons, that I would be able to make it to Edinburgh before the Scottish Parliament is dissolved."

She invited MSPs to London and said she will continue to work with the Scottish Government to support further devolution of welfare powers.

Mr Henry replied: "When we met in private on October 1 2015, you committed to appearing before the committee.

"That commitment was for a formal session, in Scotland, in public, in order for us to raise the issues which are important to our stakeholders and constituents."

He said standing orders forbid the committee from meeting formally outside Scotland and stressed the distinction between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament.

"I would therefore ask that you give the same respect to the Scottish Parliament and offer it the space and opportunity to exercise its democratic accountability in its own right," he said.

Mr Henry said UK ministers have now declined to appear before the Welfare Reform Committee on 11 occasions since it was created in 2011.

In a statement, he said: "She has had four months to make this happen and she now tells us that she is unable to come to Edinburgh before dissolution in March.

"Iain Duncan Smith has, for whatever reason, chosen not to engage with us at all and although we've had several informal meetings with ministers, it is unacceptable that MSPs have not had the opportunity to question UK ministers in public session."

Ms Adamson said: "The UK Government keeps assuring us that it is in discussions with Scottish Government officials on the devolution of some welfare powers to Scotland.

"That is well and good but it shows a complete disregard for the role of the Scottish Parliament and its committees in scrutinising the transfer of those powers."

The committee has urged Ms Patel to reconsider and give public evidence before the dissolution of parliament.