SCOTTISH Labour will today (Weds) publish a House of Commons bill designed to hand Holyrood immediate control of the UK Government's controversial employability scheme.
The Job Creation (Scotland) Bill will be brought forward by MP Ian Murray and devolve the Work Programme, run by the Department for Work and Pensions, to the Scottish Parliament.
The scheme, which helps the unemployed gain experience and skills, is set to be devolved under the package of Holyrood powers agreed during the Smith Commission process.
But Mr Murray said: "That needs to happen now.
"The Tories' Work Programme is failing Scotland. We have a lower success rate than any English region and only one in five people are in work at the end of the scheme.
"The list of people who want these powers devolved now is growing: campaigning organisations, charities and the leaders of Scotland's three largest cities have all said they should come now."
Calls to devolve the Work Programme immediately have been rejected by Scots Secretary Alistair Carmichael, so Labour will force a vote next month.
Labour has already tabled a Home Rule Bill designed to devolve other Smith
The move came as MSPs clashed over the UK Government's draft legislation, unveiled last week, to transfer extensive new powers over tax, welfare and borrowing to Holyrood.
In a statement to MSPs, Deputy First Minister John Swinney repeated the SNP's complaint the legislation would give UK ministers a veto over some Scottish Government welfare policies.
He also rejected Labour claims the package of powers amounted to "home rule".
He said: "It's not a description I would apply to these provisions.
"There are some significant areas of responsibility which remain reserved to the UK Government which should be transferred to the Scottish Government to constitute the term home rule."
Mr Carmichael said: "It is factually wrong to say UK ministers would have a veto, and always has been."
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