5 September 2005
For the first time the government has published details of the honours committee membership - and all the appointments have been made through open competition.
This has been changed, following a review, to improve transparency and accountability in the honours system.
The committees meet twice a year to help advise the Cabinet Secretary on candidates for the Prime Minister’s list of recommendations to the Queen - for the New Year and Birthday honours lists.
Until now they have been chaired by civil servants, but the new committees will be headed by eminent people from outside government, with a majority of non-civil servants as members.
They will 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.
Members of the sport committee will include Olympic rower Sir Matthew Pinsent and football legend Sir Bobby Robson.
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