The First Minister has put a second independence referendum "on the back burner", an SNP MSP has said.

South of Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine made the comment at a conference to discuss the implications for Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

McAlpine chairs Holyrood's Europe and external affairs committee.

The First Minister has said a second referendum on independence is "highly likely" following June's EU referendum and has pledged to bring forward a referendum bill at the Scottish Parliament if she believes independence is the best way to "protect" Scotland's relationship with Europe.

Panellists at the conference were asked if they expected an independence referendum to be held before the UK officially leaves the EU.

In response to the question, McAlpine said: "I don't know if there would be an independence referendum before then.

"Everything that the first minister has said so far suggests that an independence referendum is very much on the back burner and the priority just now is to secure the best possible deal for Scotland.

McAlpine added: "One of the difficulties is that we don't actually know what Scotland's position is going to be within negotiations.

"That's something that we're going to explore with the committee, in terms of what are the inter-government relationships going to be, is Scotland just going to be a consultee, or are we actually going to be fully engaged in shaping the deal?"

On Friday, former SNP leader Alex Salmond said he expects a referendum to be held by Sturgeon in the autumn of 2018 which would be before the UK leaves the EU.

Opposition parties in Holyrood have called on the First Minister to drop any plans for a second referendum.

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald, who serves as deputy under McAlpine on the Europe committee, said he now does not expect a fresh referendum to be held.

Macdonald told the conference: "There are no certainties in any of this but I think we're getting pretty close to certainty when I say that no, I don't think there will be an independence referendum before the start of 2019, nor do I think British withdrawal from Europe will be complete by then either.

"In terms of the independence referendum, the one thing that Nicola Sturgeon has been consistent about is that she has no intention of calling an independence referendum until she thinks she can win.

" And there's no evidence at all that that position has changed."

A spokesman for the SNP said independence does remain on the table.

He said: "The First Minister has repeatedly made clear that the Scottish Government is exploring all possible avenues to protect Scotland's place in Europe, in line with the overwhelming vote to remain - and those options must include independence if it becomes clear it is the best or only way of doing so."