HOPES are high that technical issues surrounding the staging of the 2014 independence referendum can be sorted out ahead of next month's key meeting between David Cameron and Alex Salmond.
Michael Moore, the Scottish Secretary, who will meet Nicola Sturgeon, the Deputy First Minister, at the Scotland Office in Edinburgh today, is basing his optimism on the "mood music" surrounding recent exchanges, while Ms Sturgeon, recently appointed to the constitutional role within the Scottish Cabinet, said she was looking forward to a positive discussion.
The key issue remains whether or not the First Minister has decided to opt for a single question on the referendum ballot paper. Whitehall insiders appear increasingly confident he has done so.
Last night, Mr Moore said: "It is essential to sort out the referendum process so we can move on to the real debate about Scotland's future.
"I hope Nicola Sturgeon's appointment and the mood music coming from the Scottish Government are a sign that we can make real progress in these referendum talks.
"There are a number of areas we will be covering. One of these will be the importance we attach to the referendum being a single question on independence.
"I have made it clear that we believe it is essential." Ms Sturgeon, who has expressed a personal preference for a single question, said: "I am looking forward to a positive discussion, which will help pave the way for a meeting between the First Minister and Prime Minister to conclude the referendum negotiations."
She added: "We can then move on to debating the issues and persuading people to vote Yes to an independent Scotland." In a separate development, Mr Moore and his Scotland Office colleague David Mundell are set to appear before MPs next week to update the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee on the progress of the referendum talks with Holyrood, in particular regarding the so-called section 30 order, whereby Westminster could empower the Scottish Parliament to hold a legal poll.
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