Cabinet Office written question – answered at on 19 January 2026.
Lord Black of Brentwood
Conservative
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the operation of the honours system.
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip), Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office), Lords Spokesperson (Northern Ireland Office), Lords Spokesperson (Wales Office), Lords Spokesperson (Scotland Office)
Every five years, a review is carried out of how honours are distributed across the different categories of activity in UK life (the Quinquennial Review). This review is guided both by priorities set by the Prime Minister and also changes to the population and sizes of workforces in each sector of the economy. The outcomes of the review are published in the three yearly report to Parliament on the Operation of the Honours System. The most recent report was published in 2023, and the next report is expected in due course.
The last review set out recommendations for the period from the Birthday honours round 2023 to the Birthday honours round 2028 (inclusive). The recommendations made in this review form part of the Honours Secretariat’s ongoing work programme over the next quinquennium to improve the operation of the honours system.
The next review period is due to begin shortly and with recommendations being implemented during the next quinquennium beginning at New Year 2029.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
