The First Minister will appoint a new minister to lead the Scottish Government in talks with the UK Government over the terms of Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon said the ministry will be created with the Scottish Parliament's approval when it returns from recess on September 5.

She also confirmed she would create a new sub-committee of the Cabinet to "oversee and direct" the Scottish Government's work on Brexit.

Sturgeon said: "Over the next few days I will confirm details of two steps to equip the Scottish Government for the task which lies ahead.

"Firstly, I intend to seek parliament's approval on our return from summer recess for the appointment of a new minister reporting directly to me who will lead for the Scottish Government in our engagement with the UK Government in the pre-Article 50 period and beyond.

"It will also be the job of the new minister to ensure that the voice of Scottish stakeholders is heard very loudly and directly by the UK Government as it develops its position."

Tourism and external affairs minister Fiona Hyslop and international development and Europe minister Alasdair Allan will remain responsible for talks with EU institutions and members states.

Sturgeon's announcement was made as she revealed the Scottish Government's first paper published on the projected negative impact of Brexit on the Scottish economy.

The First Minister said Scottish GDP is projected to be between £1.8bn and £11.2bn per year by 2030.

The paper was launched the day before the annual publication of the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures on the state of Scotland's economy.

It is widely expected to show an increase in the nation's deficit to GDP ratio following the downfall in the price of North Sea oil.

In the immediate aftermath of the referendum on Britain's EU membership, the First Minister said a second independence referendum was "highly likely" and said this was still the case on Tuesday.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson repeated her call on Tuesday for Sturgeon to drop any plans for a second independence referendum.

Davidson said: "The First Minister is in danger of losing the plot completely. Her own government's figures will show tomorrow that Scotland benefits from a multi-billion union dividend.

"And yet, in order to revive her independence obsession, she is trying to pretend these facts don't exist.

"Scotland benefits from being a member of the UK, and the UK benefits from our being there.

"It is time Nicola Sturgeon ended this charade, took her threat of a second independence referendum off the table and got back to the day job of sorting out the mess her government has made of our public services."