The human right to social security is to be enshrined in the legislation to set up Scotland's new welfare system, MSPs have been told

Ministers announced that the Social Security Bill will be introduced at Holyrood by June.

Social security minister Jeane Freeman confirmed the legislation will establish a new agency to deliver social security payments when new powers are devolved.

Holyrood is to be given control over 11 benefits, including support for carers and those with disabilities.

It will also be given the ability to top up existing payments and create new benefits.

Ms Freeman outlined the human-rights approach as she responded to the findings of a three-month public consultation on the new system.

She also announced plans for a charter to set out what people are entitled to expect from the Scottish system and told MSPs the Government intends to enlist experts to advise on arrangements for independent scrutiny of it.

The minister went on to confirm that about 2,000 people with experience of the welfare system will help to build the new Scottish model and she named Dr Jim McCormick, of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, as chair of an expert advisory group on disability and carers' benefits.

Opposition parties said Ms Freeman had failed to set out enough detail on the devolved benefits.

The minister also admitted that two "areas of difficulty" remain in ensuring the Scottish system works alongside the UK-wide system.

She said: "There was clear support for our commitment to a rights-based approach and continuing Scotland's long-standing tradition of support for human rights, which is why we will enshrine these principles in the new system's legislation.

"We are taking this further by including a charter within the Bill - it strengthens our guarantee by going beyond warm words and creating a binding contract between the system and the people who use it.

"I will also announce further details on our experience panels in the next few weeks and these will see us work with people who use the current system to design, build and refine a new and better model."

Ms Freeman said there were still issues around how using the housing element of Universal Credit to remove the so-called bedroom tax would affect people if it took them over the UK Government's benefit cap, and around Scottish ministers' commitment to retain housing benefit for 18-21 year olds.

"We will continue to pursue these issues with the UK Government so that we can exercise our new powers to build that fairer, transparent and person-centred system," she said.

Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins welcomed elements including the use of charter, experience panels and the appointment of Dr McCormick.

He added: "What is remarkable about the minister's statement, however, is what is not in it.

"Nothing about the design of disability benefits, nothing about when carers allowance will be raised to the level of JSA, something that the Scottish Conservatives called for in our manifesto last year. Nothing at all about use of the top-up power, nothing about substance at all.

"If the minister wanted to give the impression that she is proceeding as slowly as possible, she has certainly succeeded."

Labour MSP Mark Griffin said it was disappointing for third-sector organisations that "there is nothing the minister has said today to advance their understanding of how the devolved benefits will support the most vulnerable in our society".