In the United Kingdom, honours are awarded twice a year in June and at the New Year. Honours are intended to recognise exceptional achievement and/or services rendered to the UK at local, county, national or international level and are given to people from all walks of life and sections of society.
The Honours system is managed by the UK Cabinet Office Ceremonial Secretariat but each UK Government Department and the Devolved Administrations all have an Honours Secretary to whom you may send a nomination.
In Scotland, since 2007, the First Minister and all other Scottish Government Ministers have chosen to have no role in any part of the Honours process. It is the Civil Service in Scotland who handle Honours nominations, under UK Cabinet Office guidance.
Nomination forms and the full UK Cabinet Office guidance can be found on the Direct Gov website. The forms and guidance are UK wide and nominations can be made either to the Cabinet Office, whose address appears on the nomination form or to:-
Honours Secretariat
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Either by post or by email to honours@scotland.gsi.gov.uk