In Focus: Queen's New Year Honours List 2008

New Year Honours 2008

This is the first Honours List recommended by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Its aim is to reflect and pay tribute to outstanding achievement and service across the entire community. One of the Prime Minister's first actions - set out in "the Governance of Britain" was to commit neither to add to nor subtract from the final List of names recommended by the Main Honours Committee.

SEE COMPLETE LIST

In his speech of 24 July at the launch of the book "Britain's everyday heroes", he said that the significant majority of honours should go to people who serve the community in community organisations such as schools, hospitals and the voluntary sector.

This year therefore the publication of the New Year Honours list is accompanied by a new regional campaign designed to raise awareness of the honours system and to inform people how to nominate. It is hoped that the campaign will lead to more nominations and ultimately more honours awarded at grassroots level.

In total 972 people have been recommended for an award.

834 candidates have been selected at MBE and OBE level. 599 (61% of the total) at MBE; 235 (24% of the total) at OBE.

Of these people at MBE and OBE level, some 78% were involved in charitable or voluntary work, or undertaking extra - curricular activities linked to their professions.

There are 378 successful women candidates in the list, including 6 Dames, 32 CBEs and 4 CBs. This represents 39% of the total, the same as the last List but still higher than the historic norm.

The number of successful candidates from minority communities is 6%.

ENDS

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