The House of Commons Public Administration Committee has recommended that no more knighthoods be awarded. Under Britain’s feudal system knights expect to be deferred to as “Sir” or “Dame.” The committee said that these titles are “redolent of past preoccupations with rank and class.” They would be replaced with the title “Companion of Honour.”
If the committee’s recommendations were to be accepted 16 honours would be reduced to 4. The Order of the British Empire (OBE), described as “insensitive” and “inappropriate”, would be renamed the Order of British Excellence.
A commission would replace the committees that now nominate people for the feudal titles and other honours. It would make nominations to the hereditary head of state.
A government commissioned report has made more conservative recommendations. Senior Civil Servant Hayden Phillips proposed merely that the nominating committees for honours be more independent of government than at present.