Disabled people's chief honoured

Champion of anti-discrimination causes Robert Niven

The chief executive of an organisation dedicated to ensuring disabled people do not have to face discrimination is to receive and CBE.

Robert Niven heads the Disability Rights Commission which is about to be part of the newly created Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Mr Niven fights against any attempt to water down existing legislation.

He has said: "A new Green Paper fails to remedy deficiencies in the existing anti-discrimination laws."

As head of the commission he claims that proposals for unifying equality legislation fail to strengthen legal penalties for businesses and employers who do not take discrimination seriously.

"With less than four months to go before the existing equality commissions covering race, gender and disability merge, the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights would be stymied at birth without an effective streamlining of existing legislation into a credible framework."

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Full honours list - Bedfordshire

Order of the British Empire

CBE

Mrs Joan Margaret Bailey. Deputy director, Planning, Department for Communities and Local Government. (Dunstable, Bedfordshire)

OBE

Peter Hutchinson. For services to the Housing Industry. (Sandy, Bedfordshire)

Walter Steel. External Relations manager, Jobcentre Plus, Department for Work and Pensions. (Biggleswade, Bedfordshire)

MBE

Kenneth Cox. Chair, Shuttleworth Veterans Aeroplane Society. For services to Aviation. (Lower Stonden, Bedfordshire)

Mrs Susan Cox. Senior Lecturer, Dunstable College, Bedfordshire. For services to Further Education. (Bedford, Bedfordshire)

Mrs Anita Durban. Office Services manager, Highways Agency, Department for Transport. (Bedford, Bedfordshire)

Neville White. For services to the community in Luton, Bedfordshire. (Luton, Bedfordshire)

Full honours list - Buckinghamshire

Order of the British Empire

CBE

Dr Heather Couper. Millennium commissioner. For services to Science. (Loosely Row, Buckinghamshire)

OBE

Professor Nigel Mason. Professor of Physics, Open University. For services to Science. (Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire)

Ms Janet Walford. Editor, Money Management. For services to Journalism and to the Financial Services Industry. (Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire)

MBE

Mrs Jean Mary Hawes. For services to Hockey. (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire)

Philip Pimlott. Divisional director of Emergency Services, South Central Ambulance NHS Trust, Buckinghamshire. For services to the NHS. (Lane End, Buckinghamshire)

Dr Michael Arthur Rogers. Spinal Injuries Research Adviser, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire. For services to Disabled People. (Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire)

Ms Janet Shelley. Founder and managing director, Women Builders. For services to the Construction Industry. (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire)

Martin Howard Stokoe. Lead Category manager (Pharmaceuticals), NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, Department of Health. (Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire)

Mrs Brenda Wickham. For services to Public Rights of Way. (Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire)

Full honours list - Hertfordshire

Order of the Bath

CB

Stephen Aldridge. Director, Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, Cabinet Office. (High Barnet, Hertfordshire)

Order of the British Empire

CBE

Stephen Howard Banyard. Director, Business Customers, HM Revenue and Customs. (Hertfordshire)

Dr Geoffrey Malcolm Copland. Vice-Chancellor, University of Westminster. For services to Higher Education. (St Albans, Hertfordshire)

William Mark Jessett. Senior Civil Servant, Ministry of Defence. (Chorleywood, Hertfordshire)

Robert Niven. Chief executive, Disability Rights Commission. For services to Disabled People. (Hatfield, Hertfordshire)

OBE

Geoffrey Charles Morris. Formerly Chair, Association of British Healthcare Industries. For services to the Medical Devices Industry. (Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire)

Kim Wrighton. Director, Countermeasure Systems Business, Ultra Electronics. For services to the Defence Industry. (Watford, Hertfordshire)

MBE

Mrs Vicki Adkins. For services to Breast Cancer Sufferers in Hertfordshire. (Cuffley, Hertfordshire)

James Bell, JP. For services to the community in Brent, Middlesex. (Radlett, Hertfordshire)

John Doneo. Foster Carer, London Borough of Camden. For services to Children and Families. (Borehamwood, Hertfordshire)

Mrs Moira Doneo. Foster Carer, London Borough of Camden. For services to Children and Families. (Borehamwood, Hertfordshire)

Mrs Fiona Mary Earle. For services to Street Children in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Hailey, Hertfordshire)

Dr John Vavasour Earle. For services to Street Children in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Hailey, Hertfordshire)

Dr Ian Mays. Chief executive, Renewable Energy Systems Ltd. For services to the Energy Industry. (Kings Langley, Hertfordshire)

Dennis Arthur Morris. Formerly head of Openness Team, Histories, Openness and Records Unit, Cabinet Office. (Broxbourne, Hertfordshire)

Anthony Malcolm Tiscoe. Chairman, Board of Trustees, Central Foundation Schools of London, Islington, London. For services to Education. (Bushey, Hertfordshire)