The results of Whitehall & Westminster World’s ICM survey of 151 parliamentarians are likely to be viewed with some concern by many in the civil service.

On the face of it, the fact that nearly half of all MPs, some 46 per cent, believe the civil service to be more inefficient today than it was 10 years ago, shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Business, and many in the media, often portray the public sector as wasteful, and clearly this message is getting through. And it is also hardly a surprise that 78 per cent of Tory MPs see Whitehall as more inefficient now, compared to when they were in power a decade ago.

The poll’s findings on the status of special advisers were somewhat surprising, however. That nearly half of Labour MPs, some 45 per cent, believe such advisers should be allowed to give orders to civil servants is doubtless horrifying to traditionalists, but it shows how entrenched special advisers now are in Whitehall. Like them or not, they are here to stay and a future Conservative administration would inevitably employ their fair share.

The question of honours finds two-thirds of MPs believing that such awards are not justified to civil servants. Perhaps they have a point. Permanent secretaries have long received knighthoods or damehoods – whether they deserve such an honour more than someone, say, who undertakes charity or volunteer work for 40 years, is debatable.

Taken overall, the poll’s findings are likely to be a disappointment to Sir Gus O’Donnell and his permanent secretaries. Perhaps a programme of greater engagement with backbenchers might be an option to be considered. Such meetings would give O’Donnell and other senior civil servants an opportunity to put forward their side of the story and address any concerns that MPs might have about Whitehall’s performance.