Scots could get more than one option when they vote in a referendum on independence, First Minister Alex Salmond will say.
Mr Salmond will put the focus on the constitution when he addresses the Scottish National Party's annual conference in Inverness.
The conference is the first since the party's landslide victory in May's Holyrood elections, with the SNP now forming a majority government.
That means SNP ministers will be able to bring about an independence referendum, something they failed to do when the party formed a minority administration.
In his speech to the conference, Mr Salmond will make clear the Scottish Government's willingness to include a second option of 'devo-max' - increased powers for Holyrood short of full independence - on the ballot paper.
The SNP leader will describe this as being a "legitimate proposal". However, he will go on to argue for independence, describing the 'devo-max' option as "not good enough".
The First Minister will say: "Fiscal responsibility, financial freedom, real economic powers is a legitimate proposal. It would allow control of our own resources, competitive business tax and fair personal taxation. All good, all necessary, but not good enough."
Mr Salmond will add that under this scenario "Trident missiles would still be on the River Clyde, we could still be forced to spill blood in illegal wars such as Iraq, and we would still be excluded from the councils of Europe and the world".
No date has been set for the vote but it is expected to take place towards the end of this five-year parliamentary term.
Labour's Scottish leader Iain Gray claimed the inclusion of a 'devo-max' option in the independence referendum was "an admission by the Nationalists that devolution does work, most Scots support it, and that the SNP are now trying to move away from separation".
Scots could get more than one option when they vote in a referendum on independence, First Minister Alex Salmond will say.
Mr Salmond will put the focus on the constitution when he addresses the Scottish National Party's annual conference in Inverness.
The conference is the first since the party's landslide victory in May's Holyrood elections, with the SNP now forming a majority government.
That means SNP ministers will be able to bring about an independence referendum, something they failed to do when the party formed a minority administration.
In his speech to the conference, Mr Salmond will make clear the Scottish Government's willingness to include a second option of 'devo-max' - increased powers for Holyrood short of full independence - on the ballot paper.
The SNP leader will describe this as being a "legitimate proposal". However, he will go on to argue for independence, describing the 'devo-max' option as "not good enough".
The First Minister will say: "Fiscal responsibility, financial freedom, real economic powers is a legitimate proposal. It would allow control of our own resources, competitive business tax and fair personal taxation. All good, all necessary, but not good enough."
Mr Salmond will add that under this scenario "Trident missiles would still be on the River Clyde, we could still be forced to spill blood in illegal wars such as Iraq, and we would still be excluded from the councils of Europe and the world".
No date has been set for the vote but it is expected to take place towards the end of this five-year parliamentary term.
Labour's Scottish leader Iain Gray claimed the inclusion of a 'devo-max' option in the independence referendum was "an admission by the Nationalists that devolution does work, most Scots support it, and that the SNP are now trying to move away from separation".