INDEPENDENCE Minister Jamie Hepburn refused to be drawn on a possible independence convention call, during questions in Holyrood. 

The frontbencher also seemingly ruled out Alex Salmond’s involvement in the Scottish Government’s prospectus for independence. 

The snub for the former first minister came as failed SNP leadership hopeful Ash Regan asked if the indyref papers were being reviewed “in light of reported divisions within the independence movement.”

The Scottish Government began publishing their new multi-part prospectus, Building a New Scotland, last June. Further sections were released in July and October, and a new paper is due in the next few weeks. 

However, the papers have been criticised by independence supporters. 

Earlier this month, Joanna Cherry described them as "absolutely lightweight stuff."

Even Humza Yousaf mocked the reports. During the leadership contest, he referred to them as material “that frankly sits on a website and nobody reads”.

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Responding to Ms Regan’s first question, Mr Hepburn said: “As set out in the First Minister's recent policy prospectus, ‘Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership - A fresh start,‘ the people of Scotland be given the information they need to make an informed choice about whether Scotland should become an independent country, this government will build the case for a thriving socially just independent Scotland.”

Following up, Ms Regan said a “cohesive, vibrant, creative, cross-party wider movement” would be important for growing support for independence. 

“It's important for designing a successful campaign. It's important for presenting that united front, and then going on to win majority public support. 

“So will the Minister agree with me that establishing an independence convention is not only imperative right now, it is also urgent?”

The call for an independence convention was central to Ms Regan’s leadership bid, which saw her win more than 11 per cent of the first preference vote. 

It’s also an Alba policy.

Just this weekend, Mr Salmond said his party would “support or indeed, if necessary, initiate” a convention to agree a position on how “we pursue the political mandate for independence, on how to democratically force Westminster’s hand to negotiate, on the Scottish platform during the negotiations, on the constitutional framework to establish the new state.”

Mr Hepburn seemed initially flummoxed by Ms Regan’s question. 

“Well…” he said. “Well…” he repeated. “Well, let me agree with the point the member makes in respect of the urgency of the requirement for Scotland to become an independent country.

“My task, then obviously, of course, is to make the government's case through the series of prospective papers that we will lay out. 

“There are three already published, there'll be more to come. That's the activity that I will undertake, that will be laid out before the public. 

“I think that'd be a key part of making the case to the wider public and when I take the temperature of the independence movement, this time, I see a real sense of unity of purpose, a determination to work collaboratively towards that end, and I intend to play my part in that regard.”

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It’s not clear if the minister’s reference to taking the temperature was just a turn of phrase or a dig at Ms Regan’s call during the leadership campaign for an independence readiness thermometer, which would be a physical representation of the Government’s preparedness for independence.

Her question was followed up by Tory constitution spokesman, Donald Cameron.

He said: “It's obvious from recent weeks that divisions in the independence movement have been trumped by divisions in the SNP.

“We've been treated to an internal melodrama of backbench rebellions and infighting. So can I ask him this on that note. 

“The minister's colleague Joanna Cherry recently described the Scottish Government's independence papers as lightweight. Does he agree with her?” 

Mr Hepburn said he did not: ” We have, I believe, published three compelling prospective papers and I can tell him we intend to publish many more in the coming months.”

READ MORE: Indyref2: Alba open to standing on joint mandate with other parties

Lib Dem Willie Rennie said he was grateful to Ms Regan for “genuinely honestly, referring to the divisions in the independence movement. But she has also been incredibly creative with her most interesting suggestion about bringing the strange friends in from the cold. 

“So will the Minister for independence be seeking the advice from the former First Minister Alex Salmond, when crafting his new prospectus?

Mr Hepburn replied: “I'll be working with dedicated civil servants to craft the prospectus papers.”

However, when former minister Ivan McKee then asked what the Scottish Government was doing to engage with organisations in the wider yes movement on the development of his prospectuses, Mr Hepburn said was “happy to engage with any organisation with an interest in the future of Scotland whether or not they support independence or otherwise.”

“Because at the end of the day, the future of this country is everybody's business,” he added.