Mr Russell says the plan to give Scots the choice on independence was sent to every household in the country as part of the EU election campaign.

Regarding the bill, he says parliament will be able to scrutinise and decide on every single detail.

If there are developments to this bill which Mr Tomkins would like to see, he will be able to lodge amendments to it, adds the Brexit secretary.

Mr Tomkins doesn't want this parliament to decide, he wants Westminster and the Tory prime minister to decide, Mr Russell says.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a new Scottish independence referendum in the second half of 2020.

Speaking in Dublin Ms Sturgeon said the "latter half" of next year would be the "right time" for a new poll.

The SNP leader predicted victory in a second vote, with Scotland becoming "an independent country just like Ireland".

Read more.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says "here we are again talking about Nicola Sturgeon's pet obsession".

There is a case for legislation on campaign rules for referendums, he accepts, but the Referendums (Scotland) Bill goes much further than that.

He says it means ministers can pick the question and set the date on any referendum going forward.

This bill is about the "diktat of ministers", Mr Tomkins says, asking why ministers should determine questions and not the parliament.

The Tory MSP also wonders what other matters could be put to a referendum.

Mr Russell says he intends to begin a first round of cross-party talks on the next step next month.

Turning to the citizens' assembly, he says there is a clear interest in this and he hopes other parties will come forward with suggestions for this.

We intend to hold a first session of the assembly in the autumn and for it to conclude next spring, he confirms.

Mr Russell says there must be a new, meaningful respect for the position of the Scottish government and parliament under the next prime minister.

There must be a commitment to respect the legislative consent mechanism, he adds.

The cabinet secretary says the Referendums (Scotland) Bill should pass by the end of this year and the Scottish government hopes to hold indyref2 later in this parliamentary term.

We will consider an accelerated timetable if things change, he adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Legislation which could pave the way for a new Scottish independence referendum has been tabled at Holyrood.

The Scottish government wants to put the question of independence to a new public vote in the second half of 2020.

However, the Referendums (Scotland) Bill does not set a date or question, with ministers seeking agreement with the UK government

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said "now more than ever it is essential that we keep Scotland's options open".

Read more.

Any deal which takes Scotland out of the EU against the wishes of the majority of people living here provides us with a mandate to hold another independence referendum, as set out in the SNP manifesto, the Brexit secretary argues.

We continue to support a second referendum on EU membership, he states.

But Mr Russell says becoming an independent European nation is the better way forward.

We must try and break the current log-jam with fresh ideas and do so in a spirit of openness, he argues.

The cabinet secretary accepts this will not be easy but at least we start with consensus around the "basic fact" that the Westminster system is broken.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell says the EU elections demonstrated Scotland wants to remain a European nation.

Elections can be brutal judgements on parties and politicians, but they can also be fresh starts, he says.

We can find a way to put the divisions of Brexit behind us and move forward together, he states.

Mr Russell says the Brexit stalemate looks set to continue while a Tory leadership election takes place, which he says means we continue to face the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

"Scotland must not be forced against our will" to go over the cliff edge, he argues.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell is about to make a statement following the publication of the Referendums (Scotland) Bill this morning.

The legislation will pave the way for a new vote on Scottish independence - but does not set out a timetable.

Image source, Getty Images

Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell will give a statement at 1:30pm on the legislation to pave the way for a new Scottish independence referendum.

After that, health and local government ministers face portfolio questions.

Scottish Labour leads a debate on BiFab and renewables contracts.

Finally, Green MSP Mark Ruskell has a member's debate on expanding Scotland's railways.

The committee will now discuss a petition, external calling for an inquiry into the gathering and sharing of personal information as part of the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) agenda.

The committee agrees to write to the Scottish government and the International Commissioner's Office seeking further information.

MSPs are considering a petition calling for music instrument tuition to be free, external to all school pupils.

The committee agrees to close the petition.

Mr Greer highlights that schools in disadvantaged areas are more likely to offer fewer subjects at Higher than those in the wealthiest areas.

"I would have to look carefully as to whether there's a pattern there," replies Mr Swinney.

He says it would depend on where the deprivation was judged to exist - the location of the school or residency of pupils.

The Green MSP asks if research commissioned by the Scottish government will look at this further.

The research is looking at breadth of offer but not just at qualifications specifically, the education secretary explains.

The session draws to a close.

Green MSP Ross Greer asks if there was evidence of inequality in the system nationally, would the responsibility lie with Education Scotland?

Mr Swinney says any evidence would emerge in discussions around the strength and efficacy of individual schools, and that scrutiny comes at school level, local authority level, and through work shared through Education Scotland at delivering best practice.

If Education Scotland detects a pattern emerging out of inspections then it is an issue they would raise with me, the education secretary confirms.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland education correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Some youngsters get the chance to do just six qualifications in S4 while others do more.

The situation varies from school to school and from council to council.

But does the number of qualifications a youngster obtains in S4 really matter?

In the old days, it was simple.

At the overwhelming majority of state and private schools, an academically able student would sit eight O Grades in S4 then study for four or five Highers in S5.

Fast forward 30 or 40 years and it's all very different.

The emphasis in schools now is on what qualifications someone has by the time they leave school - not what they have by the end of a particular year.

Read more here.

Tory MSP Oliver Mundell asks about the 18-subject model in South Ayrshire and whether it is right for a local authority to tell all schools about what they should offer.

I understand the council engaged with schools on the matter leading to this decision, the education secretary says.

Asked whether this approach should be rolled out by more councils, Mr Swinney says schools must be satisfied with any model deployed because they are the educators.

He argues it would not have been appropriate if the model was imposed on schools.

Ms Lamont asks about an "explosion" of multi-level teaching and whether Mr Swinney believes it is acceptable for it to become the norm.

The education secretary says he has not seen any data that would allow him to make a judgement and he doesn't think that data exists.

I have not seen any educational argument that says there is something inherently damaging about multi-level teaching, which has been part of the Scottish system for a long time, Mr Swinney adds.

Ms Lamont accepts it has been used in the past but warns against it becoming the norm, and calls for research into whether it does impact performance.

The education secretary agrees to consider the matter further once the education committee has published its conclusions.

Labour MSP Johann Lamont highlights some young people will leave school after their fourth year.

So how do we ensure they leave school with enough qualifications, she asks.

Mr Swinney says young people should have access to enough opportunities at S4 to give them a range of qualifications.

Ms Lamont seeks a commitment that the education secretary will look at opportunities for the most disadvantaged young people, including care leavers, who tend to leave school earlier than their peers.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland education correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

It is no surprise that different schools use the new qualifications in different ways.

That was an intentional part of the new qualifications system, and individual schools and councils took decisions on what they believed was right for their local circumstances.

The most popular curricular model allows students to obtain up to six qualifications in S4.

However, a significant number of schools offer seven - while smaller numbers offer five, eight or even routinely avoid presenting candidates for qualifications in S4.

Some have warned that some subjects - including art and modern languages - are being squeezed out in S4 so choice is being restricted.

It is argued that time constraints led to some schools offering six qualifications in S4 - rather than a belief that this was the best possible model.