Downside of the Honours System

That the Parliament notes with concern the continued practice of awarding honours as part of the New Year’s Honours List; believes that many of the honours bestowed are influenced by personal connections and social networks and that many very deserving people who have made great contributions to society miss out on honours; expresses concern that the current honours system is deeply rooted in outdated structures tied to the British Empire, which, it believes, continues to perpetuate inequality, privilege and historical injustice; considers that the system of honours, in its current form, does not adequately reflect the values of a modern, inclusive Scotland, and wishes to see a full review of the honours system to ensure that future awards are granted based on truly meaningful achievements, representative of all communities and independent of imperial legacies.