The Honours Committee is a committee within the Cabinet Office of the Government of the United Kingdom formed to review nominations for national honours for merit, exceptional achievement or service. Twice yearly the Honours Committee submits formal recommendations for the British monarch's New Years and Birthday Honours. Members of the Honours Committee—which comprises a main committee and nine subcommittees in speciality areas—research and vet nominations for national awards, including knighthoods and the Order of the British Empire.
The honours system is an ancient one, particularly in Britain; Æthelstan, King of the English in the 10th century, was knighted by his grandfather, Alfred the Great. Knighthoods were originally conferred as a military honour, often on the battlefield. Later it became customary for only the reigning monarch to bestow the honour. Other honours beyond knighthood were later established, including the Order of the Bath in 1725. In the 20th century, the "Ceremonial Branch" of the government was created in 1937 with the sole purpose of overseeing the honours system. In 2001, the committee became officially known as the Ceremonial Honours and Appointments Secretariat.
Since 1993, members of the public have been eligible to nominate individuals; government agencies may also formally put forward candidates. All citizens of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations can be nominated.
Following his retirement as Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Office, Sir Hayden Phillips prepared a report in July 2004 to the Cabinet Secretary suggesting a reform of the current honours nomination system. The next year, following recommendations made in Phillips' report, a new system of eight committees was organised, with each committee focussing on a special area. (In 2012, an additional committee was added.) The committees are composed of senior civil servants and independent experts in specific fields. The majority of the honours committees are non-civil servants.
Each subcommittee oversees nominations for its specialised area: Arts and Media; Community, Voluntary and Local Services; Economy; Education; Health; Parliamentary and Political Service; Science and Technology; Sport; and State. The individual committees assess the nominations and pass the nominations to the Main Honours Committee, whose members select the final list of nominations that are passed to the Queen by the Prime Minister.
Following the Cash for Honours scandal, the Main Honours Committee is required to determine that an individual's nomination for an honour has not been influenced by campaign and political contributions. According to the Cabinet Office's 2011 report, "The Main Honours Committee must satisfy itself that a party political donation has not influenced the decision to award an honour in any way; the committee must be confident that the candidate would have been a meritorious recipient of an honour if he or she had not made a political donation."
The Cabinet's Honours Committee nominates civilians only; military honours, such as the Victoria Cross and the George Cross, are sent to the Queen by the Honours and Decorations Committee of the Ministry of Defence. The honours committee also does not make nominations for peerages, which are created directly by the monarch.
Main committee
Sir Jonathan Stephens KCB (chair)Chair of Arts and Media Committee: Rupert GavinChair of Community, Voluntary and Local Services Committee: Dame Clare TickellChair of the Economy Committee: Sir Ian Cheshire, Chief Executive Officer, Kingfisher plcChair of Education Committee: Sir Daniel MoynihanChair of Health Committee: Ajay Kakkar, Baron KakkarChair of Parliamentary and Political Service Committee: Michael Spicer, Baron SpicerChair of Science and Technology Committee: Professor Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine, University of OxfordChair of Sport Committee: Lord CoeChair of State Committee: Dame Mary MarshThe Cabinet Secretary: Sir Jeremy HeywoodPermanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs: Sir Simon FraserThe Chief of Defence Staff: General Sir Nick HoughtonAnother Permanent Secretary: (vacant)Rupert Gavin – Chair, Historic Royal Palaces (independent chair)Julian Fellowes, the Lord Fellowes of West StaffordDame Liz Forgan DBE – journalistDame Julia Peyton Jones DBE – Director, the Serpentine GalleryLuke Rittner – Chief Executive, Royal Academy of DanceSir Peter Stothard – Editor, The Times Literary SupplementSue Owen CB – Permanent Secretary, Department for Culture, Media and SportLeslie Evans – Permanent Secretary, Scottish GovernmentCommunity, voluntary and local services
Dame Clare Tickell DBE – Chief Executive, Hanover Housing Association (independent chair)Evelyn Asante-Mensah OBE DL – Interim Chief Executive, BHA for EqualityMelanie Bryan OBE – social entrepreneur, Why Not Change?Dilwar Hussain – Co-founder, New Horizons in British IslamDr. Angus Kennedy OBE – Chief Executive, Community Regeneration PartnershipJohn Knight CBE JP – formerly Director of Policy at Leonard Cheshire Disability and Board Member, Charity CommissionDame Barbara Monroe DBE – Chief Executive, St. Christopher’s HospiceBrian O'Doherty – Head of Housing, Newcastle City CouncilNoreen Oliver MBE – Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BAC O’Connor CentreSir Nicholas Young – former Chief Executive, British Red CrossMelanie Dawes CB– Permanent Secretary, Department for Communities and Local GovernmentRichard Heaton CB – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of JusticeSir Derek Jones KCB – Permanent Secretary, Welsh GovernmentMark Sedwill CMG – Permanent Secretary, Home OfficeChris Wormald – Permanent Secretary, Department for EducationSir Ian Cheshire (independent chair) – Chief Executive Officer, Kingfisher plcDame Helen Alexander DBE – Chair, UBM plc and Chancellor, University of SouthamptonDame Colette Bowe DBE – former Chair, Office of Communications (Ofcom)Anya Hindmarch MBE – fashion designer and businesswomanBrent Hoberman CBE – entrepreneurHelen Mahy – Chair, Renewables Infrastructure GroupDr Yvonne Thompson CBE – entrepreneurMartin Donnelly CMG – Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation and SkillsSue Owen CB – Permanent Secretary, Department for Culture, Media and SportJohn KinghamLeslie Evans – Permanent Secretary, Scottish GovernmentSir Daniel Moynihan – Chief Executive, Harris Federation (independent chair)Dame Rachel de Souza DBE – Chief Executive Officer, Inspiration TrustMarion Matchett CBE – Civil Service Commissioner for Northern IrelandPeter Williams CBE – former Chief Executive, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher EducationDr John Guy OBE – former Principal, Farnborough Sixth Form College and Independent Chair, Surrey Health Clinical Commissioning GroupDame Asha Khemka DBE – Principal and Chief Executive, West Nottinghamshire CollegeMartin Donnelly CMG – Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation and SkillsChris Wormald – Permanent Secretary, Department for EducationDr. Malcolm McKibbin – Head, Northern Ireland Civil ServiceAjay Kakkar, Baron Kakkar – Director, Thrombosis Research Institute (independent chair)Dame Christine Beasley DBE – Chief Nursing Officer for EnglandDame Ruth Carnall DBE – Chief Executive, NHS LondonSir Ian Gilmore – Chair, Liverpool Health Partners, University of LiverpoolKaren Middleton CBE – Chief Executive, Chartered Society of PhysiotherapyDame Janet Husband DBE – former Chair, Royal College of Radiologists CouncilSir Nicholas Partridge OBE – former Chief Executive, Terrence Higgins TrustSir Simon Wessely John Maddox prize winner – Director, King’s Centre for Military Health Research, King’s College LondonDame Sally Davies DBE – Chief Medical Officer (England)Dame Una O'Brien DCB – Permanent Secretary, Department of HealthAndrew Goodall – Director General, Department for Health, Social Services and Children, Welsh GovernmentParliamentary and political service
Michael Spicer, Baron Spicer – Member, House of Lords (independent chair)Dianne Bevan – Chief Operating Officer, National Assembly for WalesRobin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell KG GCB CVO – Member, House of LordsHelene Hayman, Baroness Hayman GBE – former Speaker of the House of LordsPeter Riddell CBE – Director, Institute for GovernmentSir Robert Rogers, Baron Lisvane KCB - former Clerk of the House of CommonsMark Harper MP – Government Chief WhipDame Rosie Winterton DBE MP – Labour Chief WhipScience and technology
Sir John Bell FRS – Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford (independent chair)Sir Tony Atkinson FBA – Senior Research Fellow, Nuffield CollegeDame Glynis Breakwell DBE DL – Vice Chancellor, University of BathJulia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE – Vice-Chancellor, Aston UniversityMartyn Rose – Director, Martyn Rose Ltd.Dame Nancy Rothwell DBE FRS DL – President and Vice Chancellor, University of ManchesterSir Mark Walport FRS – Chief Scientific Adviser to HM GovernmentGareth Davies – Director-General, Knowledge and Innovation, Department for Business, Innovation and SkillsJulie Williams CBE – Chief Scientific Adviser, Welsh GovernmentLord Coe CH KBE – Chairman, CSM (independent chair)Giles Clarke CBE – Chair, England and Wales Cricket Board and Director, International Cricket CouncilBaroness Grey-Thompson DBE – former Paralympic athleteHon. Tim Lamb – former Chief Executive, Sport and Reaction AllianceTimothy Phillips – former Chairman, All England Lawn Tennis ClubGraham Taylor OBE – former England Football managerSue Owen CB – Permanent Secretary, Department for Culture, Media and SportDr. Malcolm McKibbin – Head, Northern Ireland Civil ServiceDame Mary Marsh DBE – Director, Clore Social Leadership Programme (independent chair)Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone JP DL – Member, House of Lords and Chair, Board Practice, Odgers BerndtsonDame Suzi Leather DBE DL – former Chair, Charity CommissionElizabeth McKeikan – Non-Executive Director, JD Wetherspoon plc. and former Civil Service CommissionerDr. Diana Walford CBE – former Principal, Mansfield College, OxfordDr. Suzy Walton – Deputy Chairman RSA, University of Westminster and Internet Watch FoundationSir Jonathan Stephens KCB – Permanent Secretary, Northern Ireland Office