Honours Briefing: 11.45am Thursday 9 December 2004

Briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on New Years Honours List.

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New Years Honours List

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The Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) briefed journalists on the New Years Honours List. She said:

"This Honours List reflects and pays tribute to outstanding achievement and service right across the community and the nation as a whole.

As in previous lists a key aim has been to reward those who work and serve at the sharp end - people who have really changed things, or who have given outstanding service to others in difficult situations.

45% of awards in the Prime Minister's list of recommendations have been nominated or supported by members of the public. This reflects the continuing value that the public place on the honours system. And the list also reflects the government's commitment to honouring those in its key priority areas: education, health, law and order.

Education, for instance, makes up 10% of the total. There is a DBE for Mary Macdonald, Headteacher of Riverside Primary School in North Shields which she has transformed over the past ten years to become an example across the North East of England.

There are Knighthoods for Richard Staite, Headteacher of Beeslack High School in Midlothian who is widely recognised as a leading headteacher in his peer group and who has played an important part in the review of the Scottish school curriculum; Mike Tomlinson, Chair of the Working Group on 14-19 Reform who has made an important contribution to education throughout the country and abroad and two education benefactors Clive Bourne, sponsor of the Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney and supporter of charitable and community projects; Peter Odgen, Founder of the Ogden Trust through which he has done an enormous amount to help in the education of children from poor backgrounds.

Health and social services make up another 10% - and, as you would expect, there's a wide range of awards including a DBE for Gillian Pugh, the Chief Executive of the Coram Family Charity who has a long and distinguished career working nationally and internationally to improve services for children and their families.

And there are Knighthoods for Professor Andrew Haines, Dean of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who has played a leading role in the development of the NHS research and development programme and made a major contribution to thinking on population health inequalities, nationally and internationally; Jonathan Michael, a former hospital consultant who is now Chief Executive of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust which he has led with distinction to carry through significant improvements in patient care; Professor James Underwood, who has headed the Royal College of Pathologists during a period when many difficult and ethical issues had to be faced and Derek Wanless, author of two highly influential reports on public health and a strong contributor in many other areas of public service.

Among the CBEs are Senga Bond, Professor of Nursing Research and Head of the School of Population and Health Sciences at Newcastle University, a staunch supporter and proponent of research in nursing and one of the profession's most illustrious research practitioners; Peter Bradley, Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust which he has led from a very poor start to become one of the most successful services in the country and who still works as a paramedic to keep in touch with the grass roots and Patricia Woo, Professor of Paediatric Rheumatology at University College, London, a world authority in her field who has been a guiding force in establishing a seemless relationship between the paediatric, adolescent and adult services.

In other areas, there is a GBE for Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, President of the Family Division of the High Court of Justice, an outstanding judge who has had to handle many highly sensitive and complex issues and who is recognised as an authority on family justice.

There are Knighthoods for Robert Kerslake, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, where he has provided exceptional leadership, turning round service delivery and driving the renaissance of Sheffield with particular achievements in the education and health fields and David Veness, Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police who has made an enormous contribution to the fight against terrorism not only in London but across the UK and internationally.

Among the CBEs are Max Caller, Chief Executive of the London Borough of Hackney who has worked tirelessly to transform the borough and improve the lives of people living there and who has also had an impact on local government at national level and Barry Weatherill during whose time as Chairman of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has developed its international standing and done much to improve the independent mobility of blind people.

Business Science and Technology make up 17% of the awards.

There is a GBE for Sir Bryan Nicholson, Chair of the Financial Reporting Council, where his energy and commitment have helped to overcome difficulties and make rapid progress and who has made an outstanding contribution over the years in a wide range of public service posts.

And a DBE for Jean Thomas, Professor of Macromolecular Biochemistry at Cambridge whose seminal work on the structure of chromatin is internationally renowned.

Among the Knighthoods are Professor John Lawton, Chief Executive of the National Environment Research Council, one of the world's most influential ecological researchers who has made major scientific contributions over many years; Alan Jones, Chairman of Toyota Motors UK, where he has done much to improve worldwide competitiveness from a platform of shop floor excellence; Digby Jones, Director General of the CBI, a strong and vocal advocate for British business and John Vickers, Chair and Chief Executive of the Office of Fair Trading, which he has transformed into a corporate world class consumer and competition body.

And there is an OBE for John Shepherd-Barron, the inventor of the automatic cash dispenser.

The Cultural Economy makes up 7% of the total.

There is a DBE for Fanny Waterman the Chair and Artistic Director of the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition for over 40 years who has made an enormous contribution to music across the world.

And there are Knighthoods for Professor Rees Davies, one of the most distinguished living British medieval historians and Brian Harrison, a historian who has successfully brought the revision of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography to completion.

Among the CBEs are Professor Quentin Blake, award winning illustrator of children's books and a former Children's Laureate who has given invaluable support to national arts initiatives; Roger Daltrey, founder of the legendary rock band The Who and a successful solo vocalist who has supported numerous charitable organisations, including The Prince's Trust and Live Aid; Brian and Anne Lapping, highly respected television producers who are particularly admired for their innovative and high quality television documentaries; Robert Pinker, the Press Complaints Commission's Privacy Commissioner for the last 10 years, during which he has steered through a number of important reforms; Eric Sykes, much loved actor, entertainer and comedy writer who is still active at 81 and Alan Whicker, the doyen of television reporters and presenters.

Among the OBEs are Michael Maloney, a legend within the world of photojournalism who has over 100 major photographic awards; Geoffrey Palmer, one of Britain's most popular television actors whose work includes Butterflies and As Time Goes By; Alexandra Shulman under whose editorship Vogue has developed and grown without compromising any of its status as the pre-eminent women's magazine; Leslie Thomas, one of Britain's most popular and best-selling novelists with a huge international following and Pete Waterman, record and songwriter extraordinaire.

Among the MBEs are Barry Davies, the BBC Sports Commentator; John Graham, the crossword compiler and Hugh Lloyd, for six decades a familiar face in stage and screen entertainment and Roger Parlby, editor-in-chief and Managing Director of the Newark Advertiser.

Awards for sport make up 7% of the total.

All the gold medal winners from the Athens Olympics are included in this list and as a general rule receive the next level of award if they have already been honoured.

However, Kelly Holmes, winner of two gold medals receives a DBE as does Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain's best known Paralympic athlete with 13 medals including 10 golds and who has done an enormous amount to further disabled sport in this country.

There is a Knighthood for Matthew Pinsent, winner of four consecutive Olympic gold medals for rowing.

Among the OBEs are Olympic gold medal winners, Ben Ainslie, yachtsman; James Cracknell, rower; Shirley Robertson, sailing; Bradley Wiggins, cyclist; David Pearson, a multiple gold medal winner from the Paralympics and Michael Brace, the Chairman of the British Paralympics Association.

There are also OBEs for Doug Ellis, Chairman of Aston Villa Football Club who supports many charities and is closely involved in community work; Andy Farrell, the Wigan and Great Britain Rugby League captain and Colin Montgomerie, golfer and hero of Europe's win over the United States in the Ryder Cup.

Among the MBEs are Olympic gold medal winners, Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb for sailing; sprinters, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish, Mark Lewis-Francis and Jason Gardener; Ed Coode and Steve Williams for rowing; Chris Hoy, cycling and Leslie Law for equestrian. There are also two multiple gold medal winners from the Paralympics, David Roberts and James Anderson."

Asked if any Aid workers had been honoured given their endeavours in the terrible tragedy in South East Asia, the PMS said there might well be people from aid agencies in the list but journalists would have to check the list. The Tsunami in South East Asia only happened a few days ago and no doubt future lists would look at recent events.

Asked if General Sir Mike Jackson had received an honour for doing the Government's dirty work, the PMS said that General Sir Mike Jackson was a distinguished soldier who has had a long career in the military. The PMS said she would not go into timing of awards but people were recognised for the public service they performed. Put to her that the award given to Douglas Smith, formerly from the Child Support Agency, might be considered a reward for failure, the PMS said that he has had a long and distinguished career as a public servant. He had worked for many years at the Inland Revenue before we he worked for the Child Support Agency. Asked why Richard Bowker had been given an award given that the Strategic Rail Authority was considered by many to be a flop, the PMS said that awards were given on merit. Asked why John Gieve had been given a nomination given recent problems at the Home Office which had resulted in the resignation of David Blunkett has Home Secretary, the PMS said that if journalists cast their minds back to last week they would recall that Sir Alan Budd had said he had received co-operation from the Home Office and its officials. He had said that he didn't believe that there had been any attempt at a 'cover-up'. John Gieve has had a long and distinguished career as a public servant, working the Department of Employment and the Treasury, as well as the Home Office.

Asked if these awards recognised the struggle at the top of complex projects and organisations and that problems weren't always the fault of those at the in charge, the PMS agreed and said that people should look at the whole career of those honoured.

Asked why there were more business people in the list than usual, the PMS said that there weren't. The percentage of awards going to the business community was about the same as in previous lists. Asked how business people were selected, the PMS said that nominations came in various forms and were put forward to the Nominations Committee.