QUEBEC Premier Pauline Marois has revealed she will today offer Alex Salmond her administration's independence files.

The two leaders are due to hold talks in Edinburgh later.

The agenda is expected to include discussion on the series of independence votes Quebec held in the 1980s and 1990s.

Find out how Quebec views Scottish independence

In an interview with The Herald ahead of the meeting, the leader of the pro-separation Parti Québécois (PQ) rejected claims that period – dubbed "neverendum" – paralysed Quebec's economy.

"The Quebec economy was not affected by that," she said, "although it was affected by globalisation of course - and the global recession."

Ms Marois also revealed she intends to offer the First Minister access to data her government holds on its referendums.

The second vote, in 1995, came within a whisker of delivering independence.

Ms Marois said her administration had large amounts of information, adding: "That is data that we would be very happy to share with Scotland and we can talk about it with Mr Salmond as well".

MS Marois also revealed that she hoped to discuss the possibility of international agreements between Scotland and Quebec.

She said she hoped to raise the "idea of having an entente or agreement in the future" with the First Minister.

This could include a section on co-operation on environmental issues, she said, but added that she had as yet no specific plans in mind.

As the leader of Quebec, she said she "did not want to get involved in Scotland's interior matters".

However, she admitted her meeting with Mr Salmond, the first when they are both leading their parties in government, could not ignore "our respective political realities".

Pro-union campaigners believe the SNP will play for a "neverendum" if the party loses the vote. A senior Coalition source told the Herald last year the UK Government had to achieve a "crushing victory" to head off calls for another vote.

Ms Marois currently leads a minority government in Quebec, meaning she does not have the parliamentary votes to order another referendum.

However, there is speculation in Quebec a general election could be held later this year, potentially making her the head of a majority government.

As well as meeting the First Minister, Ms Marois will also visit Holyrood today.

She will also hold talks with Labour leader Johann Lamont.