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Government announces new Honours Committees

The full membership of all eight new honours committees was announced today. For the first time, the Government has published details of the committee membership. In another new move, all appointments have been made through open competition. This is to improve transparency and accountability in the honours system.

There are eight committees that until now have been chaired by civil servants. The new committees are to be chaired by eminent people from outside government with a majority of non-civil servants as members.

Lord May, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee, said: ‘The Government has updated the Honours system to reflect values of transparency and openness. I am looking forward to working with the members in upholding this so that honours remain respected as the gold standard in the way we recognise our exceptional people.

‘Looking at the wealth of experience and expertise across the committee memberships there can be no doubt that nominations will be judged to the highest standards.’

The Committees help advise the Cabinet Secretary on candidates for the Prime Minister’s list of recommendations to the Queen. They examine nominations from the public, government departments and others across the whole range of national life. The Committees are made up of Arts and Media; Community, Voluntary and Local Service; Economy; Education; Health; Science and Technology; Sport; State.

Their nominations go to the Main Committee which looks at all the proposals in the round. The Main Committee will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and consist of the Chairs of the eight committees, the Chair of the Defence staff, the Permanent Under-Secretary of state at the FCO and the Prime Minister’s Secretary for Appointments.

The reforms follow reviews of the honours system by Sir Hayden Phillips and the Public Administration Select Committee. The appointment process was undertaken within the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ rules for the appointment to public committees. The new committees will not be paid, but may receive modest expenses such as travel costs. The new committees will meet twice a year to provide advice on candidates for inclusion in the New Year and Birthday honours lists.

Notes to editors

1. A full list of the Honours Committees membership is available from the Cabinet Office Press Office or online at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ceremonial
2. The Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) report on the honours system was published on July 7, 2004. It can be found at www.parliament.uk.
3. Sir Hayden Phillips reported to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Andrew Turnbull, on July 16, 2004. That report can be found at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ceremonial/news.
4. The Government’s reply to both the Phillips and PASC reports is at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ceremonial

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