Michael Russell

The draft bill will detail the timetable for another vote on Scottish independence.

SNP Constitution Secretary Michael Russell told the Sunday National: “We said we would publish it before the Parliament rose and we will. It is a very simple bill, there is nothing complicated about it.

“The key point is we have said we will put it in front of the people of Scotland at an election and they will have the decision on it.”

Mr Russell said the bill “opens the door” to Indyref2.

The Scottish government’s programme for government 2020/21, published last year, stated: “Before the end of his Parliament, we will publish a draft bill for an independence referendum – setting out the terms of a future referendum clearly and unambiguously to the people of Scotland.

“This will include the question to be asked, subject to appropriate testing by the Electoral Commission, and the timescale in which we consider the referendum should be held, taking account of the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic at the time of publication of the draft bill.”