Four departments agree to meet George Osborne's cuts target

Treasury, environment, transport and communities departments cede to chancellor's austerity demands, but home and foreign ministries dig in

Four government departments have agreed deep spending cuts of 8% a year for the next four years, George Osborne will announce.

The Treasury and the Departments of Transport, Environment, and Communities and Local Government are the first ministries to agree cuts in a spending review intent on slashing 20bn from the cost of government.

Related: How the spending review should look if the government wants a happier Britain | Gus O'Donnell