Alex Salmond will deliver his referendum statement to Holyrood Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond is due to outline his vision for the forthcoming referendum on independence.
The SNP leader is expected to announce planned legislation on the vote, which he wants to see held in autumn 2014, as part of a public consultation.It was thought a draft bill would lay out a single yes/no independence question.
But views would also be sought on a second question on more powers for Holyrood, short of independence.
Mr Salmond is announcing his proposals in a statement to the Scottish Parliament, before going on to hold a press conference in Edinburgh.
He is expected to describe the consultation document as "historic", and the start of a great debate on Scotland's future allowing people to make a "considered" decision, ahead of a 2014 poll.
Meanwhile, Scottish Secretary Michael Moore told BBC Scotland there was a "large body of opinion" that the referendum should be held sooner, rather than later - but Scotland's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said the proper process had to be followed.
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Take 12 key dates in the relationship between Scotland and England
Expat Scots give their views on Scottish independence
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Take 12 unresolved questions on independenceTake 12 key dates in the relationship between Scotland and England
Expat Scots give their views on Scottish independence
Westminster ministers have already launched their own consultation on plans for the referendum, but have clashed with the Scottish government over who has the legal power to hold it.
Mr Salmond's consultation will put forward a range of options for handling the referendum, rather than arguing the case for independence itself, which may also include the SNP's call to let 16 and 17-year-olds vote and proposals to open polling stations on a Saturday, with the intention of increasing voter turnout.A Referendum Bill, introduced to parliament early next year, could be passed towards the end of 2013, with the vote itself being held after the European elections in June 2014, and the Commonwealth Games, which are being staged in Glasgow.
In the meantime, the Holyrood and Westminster governments have become locked in a row over who has the right to hold the referendum.
The UK government said it recognised the SNP's landslide election win last May, and the need for a referendum "made in Scotland", by the Scottish Parliament.
'Move on' But it also argued that, because constitutional issues were reserved to Westminster, new powers must be devolved to Scotland to ensure the referendum is legally watertight and cannot be challenged in the courts.
Mr Moore told the BBC Radio's Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that progress was being made on the issue, adding: "There appears now to be a general agreement that we need to provide the legal powers to the Scottish Parliament so that we can get a referendum that's made in Scotland that's legal, that's fair and decisive."
The Scottish secretary said he was keen to get the process for the referendum dealt with properly, so the country could move on to debating the issue of independence itself.
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| SNP position | Unionist position |
|---|---|
| Wants the referendum in the autumn of 2014 | Wants the referendum "sooner rather than later" |
| Backs a yes/no ballot but is open minded on including a second "devo max" question | Wants a one question yes/no "decisive" ballot |
| Wants 16 and 17-year-olds to be able to vote in the referendum | Backs the status quo with 18 and over able to vote |
| Wants a special commission to conduct the referendum, but likely to back Electoral Commission option | Wants the Electoral Commission to oversee the vote |
Calling on the SNP to bring its preferred date forward, Mr Moore said: "This central issue of whether Scotland should stay within the United Kingdom or leave is so fundamental, and the SNP has such a clear position on it, that I don't see why we need to wait the best part of three years to make that decision."
SNP ministers have disagreed in the legal position, and have accused the coalition of trying to dictate the terms of the referendum, such as its time scale and the wording of what appears on the ballot paper.The Scottish government said it would welcome the extra legal powers, but warned against them coming with "strings attached".
Ms Sturgeon told BBC Scotland that the Scottish government consultation would look at how the referendum should be regulated and conducted.
On calls to hold it sooner, the deputy first minister added: "I think when people see the timeline that we've set out, they will come to the same conclusion that we've come to and that is that autumn 2014 is the right time to have this referendum.
"It's important that we have due process in terms of consultation in terms of taking the legislation through the Scottish Parliament and then having adequate time for the people of Scotland to debate fully the biggest decision they'll take in 300 years."
Scottish ministers have also indicated that they will accept letting the Electoral Commission to oversee the referendum, despite earlier announcing plans to set up a new Scottish watchdog.
The Tories, Liberal Democrats and Labour, who oppose independence, have also called for a "decisive" result with a single question on the ballot paper, rather than adding a second question on further devolution of powers to Holyrood, or "devo max", as it is sometimes known.
'Debating concerns'
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman David McLetchie, said: "Independence and devolution are two entirely different things.
"Devolution is about Scotland being part of the United Kingdom, with more or less powers for the Scottish Parliament - independence is about the break-up of Britain - and its the independence issue is the one we have to resolve."
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, added: "The people of Scotland deserve a clear, decisive result - that means the SNP reaffirming its commitment to asking a single, unambiguous yes or no question.
"While it may suit the SNP to keep this debate about process, we want this resolved quickly.
"We want to get on to debating the concerns of the Scottish people - such as would we be better off, what currency we would use, and how we would defend ourselves."
Mr Salmond is due to meet Prime Minister David Cameron for talks on the referendum.
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