A new poll has found strong support among MPs for parliamentary pay to be increased.

The Dods Polling survey carried out by ICM for this week's House Magazine found that 61 per cent of MPs think their salary is "too little".

In contrast just two per cent of MPs feel their £60,675 annual remuneration, currently under review by the Senior Salaries Review Body, is "too much", while 34 per cent believe it is "about right".

Conservative MPs were most unhappy, with 79 per cent believing pay is too low. Two thirds of Liberal Democrats (65 per cent) and around a half of Labour MPs (52 per cent) agreed.

Satisfaction was also lowest among MPs who have been in the House for the shortest time, with 83 per cent of those elected at or since the 2005 general election concluding that pay is too small.

In other findings from the poll, a large majority (76 per cent) saw constituency business as the most important part of their job.

Trailing significantly far behind was attending the Commons chamber on 18 per cent, committee work on nine per cent, and national and international issues on six per cent.

Leader of the House Jack Straw said he was unsurprised by this result.

"I think even if one went back 28 years when I came into the House, I would have spent a smaller proportion of the time in the chamber than outside," he said.

"What is different between now and even 10 years ago is the weight of constituency business, the expectations… the fact that people are now much less deferential, have a much more acute sense of their rights and can communicate with their members of Parliament much more quickly through email."

However the emphasis on constituency business contrasts with the Hansard Society's audit of political engagement published last month.

It asked voters what they want MPs to do and found the biggest demand (43 per cent) was for them to represent the views of local people in the Commons.

A smaller number (31 per cent) wanted them to hold the government to account and the same number said they should be dealing with the problems of constituents.