Scotland may have to rethink free university places pledge, analysis shows

IFS says if Holyrood's health and climate policies remain in place other public spending will also suffer

The Scottish government could be forced to reconsider spending pledges to provide free university places and free personal care for older people in light of a squeeze on payments from the UK Treasury over the next two years, according to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The thinktank said the Scottish National party administration would face difficult trade-offs" if it pursued plans to increase health spending and meet net zero climate targets from a budget adjusted for inflation that is on course to shrink.