PRESS RELEASE : Outstanding public service delivery recognised in HM The King’s Official Birthday Honours List [June 2023]

The press release issued by Cabinet Office on 16 June 2023.

Civil servants who have cut costs for the public sector and delivered vital services are recognised in the HM The King’s Birthday Honours 2023.

This year’s List celebrates the dedication of public servants, as they deliver for the British public, including work done to drive greater efficiency in government and save the taxpayer money wherever they can.

The List also recognises the vital public services run by civil servants, which help communities across the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said:

Working in the public sector is a privilege and the individuals recognised today have gone above and beyond to serve the British people.

I want to thank all those who have devoted their time to delivering exceptional public services, in particular those who have saved the taxpayer money.

Efficiency

Ann Underwood was awarded a CBE for leading an efficiency programme which has saved the Ministry of Defence more than £8 billion. Ann has motivated hundreds of people across Defence to strive for better results for the Armed Forces and the taxpayer.

Another person being recognised for their work protecting taxpayer money is Mark Sheridan from the Fraud Investigation Service. He is receiving an OBE for securing over 1,500 criminal convictions in his role as Deputy Director, and preventing huge revenue losses to fraudsters as a Senior Responsible Officer for Organised Labour Fraud.

Gwynne Goodfield for HMRC has been awarded a BEM for saving taxpayer money in recruitment. Gwynne has made tax graduate recruitment in HMRC more sustainable and significantly more cost-effective, reducing the cost per hire from £2,900 to £1,300, saving £175,000 in 2022 alone.

Reflecting the government’s priority to provide opportunities for growth across the UK, Pauline Jones from the Department for Work and Pensions in the West Midlands has been awarded an MBE for her innovative work to place individuals from the local community into important roles during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Education, criminal justice and environmental services

Kavitha Kishen has been awarded an OBEX for her work in the Government Office for Science, which has helped boost the nation’s resilience to threats including terrorism, cyber-attacks, pandemics.

Lawrence Langton from Yorkshire and Humberside, whose work at Forestry England to plant thousands of trees, protect local wildlife, and inspire the next generation to protect their forests, has been celebrated with a BEM.

Shirley Jones, an Inspector from the Department of Education in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, has been awarded an OBE for her outstanding contributions to the lives of many children, young trainees and adults at risk of marginalisation and exclusion from education or employment.

An OBE was awarded to Lisa James from the Ukraine Humanitarian Taskforce, for her community outreach work to help Ukrainians who have fled conflict rebuild their lives in the UK. She has supported many vulnerable Ukrainian guests who have navigated accessing sponsorship, housing, and other public services.