Ah, the Godfrey cabinet.
On civil serpents, I think there are different types.
The majority that a Serviceman sees are low level E grade with a smattering of Ds. Low wages and limited working hours and more limited authority and flexibility and you get what you pay for.
Higher level CS that are at the Ministry or HQs, often in finance and seem forever to say no more often than they say yes.
And the doers. The ones that actually do things like the estimed doctor etc who are just as frustrated with other CS as are the Servicemen themselves.