INDEPENDENCE and the key question of when a new referendum should be held will not be debated by SNP members at the party’s annual conference, according to a draft agenda for the event.

The issues along with Brexit dominate political discussion north of the Border and Nicola Sturgeon has said she will update the country on her plans to hold a new plebiscite this autumn.

But a provisional agenda for the October conference does not feature either building a new case for independence or the timing of a new vote.

READ MORE: Referendum debate is the big concern even if not on SNP agenda

Out of 32 listed "potential resolutions", none refer a new plebiscite or – in contrast to motions at previous SNP’s conferences since the EU referendum – to Scotland’s ongoing relationship with Europe.

Brexit is mentioned just twice, once in the context of a resolution put down by Europe and External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Europe Minister Ben MacPherson calling for migration powers to be devolved to Scotland, and once in relation to problems posed to the recruitment of seasonal workers.

Former deputy leadership candidate Chris McEleny also pointed out there would also be no debate on the findings of the Growth Commission and what currency should be used in an independent Scotland.

Commenting on Twitter, he said: “Must say I find it absolutely astonishing that with 32 motions making a “long list” for @theSNP conference, not a single one on the growth commission or currency made the cut. How can we not be debating the biggest contribution to the independence case since 2014?”

Some party members last night said the absence was disappointing.

Eddie Morgan, of the SNP Lochaber and Lorne branch, said: “There is an onus on the party to create a vision of independence and I would hope at the minimum at the conference this year Nicola Sturgeon will give a date of when we are going to have indyref2.”

He added: “We need something concrete soon as time is running out. We’ll be out of the EU at the end of March and the deadline for negotiations is in October.”

Another member, who did not want to be named, said: “If there is no announcement on indyref2 I will be incredibly disappointed.”

However, senior figures in the party played down the significance that independence or a new referendum did not feature in any of the draft resolutions.

“I’m not really surprised,” said one party insider. “Independence is in the first clause of our constitution and underpins everything we do, so I think every debate will be infused with an independence perspective and how things can be better in an independent Scotland.”

A second source said the party was organising a series of national assemblies - starting later this month - to give members opportunities to debate the Growth Commission findings and currency issues.

The SNP is due to meet at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow from Sunday October 7 to Tuesday October 9.

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The draft agenda is dominated by motions highlighting domestic policy matters. Resolutions include criticism of UK Government departments including the Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions for ‘a lack of respect’ towards MSPs and correspondence from them; calls for the Scottish Government to overhaul sexual consent education in schools and a resolution urging the ‘poverty proofing’ of school uniform policy.

A fourth resolution also focuses on young people with calls for a ‘whole school’ approach to mental health provision. It notes the Mental Health Foundation research that 33% of young people aged 18 to 24 have experienced suicidal feelings because of stress and that 24% have self harmed, and calls for teachers to have training and support to help prevent “mental ill-health from developing and escalating into a crisis”.

SNP members have until August 31 to lodge amendments to the resolutions, delegates then give their views on the subjects for debate with the final conference agenda to be published in mid September.