Cabinet ministers are resisting Treasury calls to make major efficiency savings as part of the upcoming spending review, the FT reports.

Leaked documents seen by the paper show education secretary Charles Clarke saying 2.5 per cent administration cuts cannot be achieved in schools.

The culture and industry secretaries, Tessa Jowell and Patricia Hewitt, also want their departments to be exempt.

But chancellor Gordon Brown is thought to be determined to implement Sir Peter Gershon's recommendations in full.