MSPs are to reject a request for a meeting with the controversial head of the body overseeing Scotland's single police force.

Vic Emery, convenor of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), is likely to receive the rebuff after inviting Holyrood's Justice Committee to discuss the way the SPA engages with them.

Committee members are said to be unimpressed by his overtures and feel it is for them to call the SPA to account.

Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, a former director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, compared the invitation to a "cosy chat".

The authority met yesterday in Livingston to discuss final arrangements for staff recruitment ahead of Police Scotland, becoming operational from April 1.

The committee is setting up a designated sub-committee to monitor the new single force and Mr Emery has been in touch.

"Board members would like to invite the committee to consider an early round table discussion about the new Parliamentary sub-committee and plans for engagement between the new sub-committee and the SPA Board," he wrote.

Labour MSP Graeme Pearson said: "It's for us to consider whether to invite him for interview rather than us all having a cosy chat. His job is to hold the chief constable to account.

"We hold him and everyone else to account for £1.4 billion of public money."

Mr Pearson made clear that he remains unconvinced that a sub-committee of Holyrood's Justice Committee was sufficient for the task of monitoring the creation and running of the force.