THE Queen's Birthday is marked with a long list of honours for the great and the good.

It is commendable that there is recognition for ordinary people, like Nunthorpe headteacher John Rowling, who have achieved extra-ordinary - and often unsung - things in their communities.

But why do B-list celebrities, civil servants and Royal flunkies receive honours just for doing their jobs or for being famous?

Bill Oddie is a deary, but why is he singled out for making television programmes? Richard Briers is a sweetie, but today's CBE goes with the OBE he received in 1989.

This is not to decry these people's talent: Sting, Jools Holland, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and possibly even Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate have all made entertaining and enjoyable music. They have all grown deservedly rich, so why is the Queen handing them a bauble?

You can't seriously suggest it is because there's nothing Her Majesty likes better after a long day's ruling than to slip off her crown and rock out to the Dark Side of the Moon.

In the eyes of his wife, David Beckham may be worth an OBE - it will, at least, make him more marketable to the US chatshows - but footballers who have done nothing but play football don't deserve to be singled out.

And Jamie Oliver - who can possibly explain that one?

It could be regarded as comical, but then we learn that the Eton housemaster who steered princes William and Harry through their schooldays is getting a gong. What makes him so much more special than the thousands of comprehensive teachers who steer millions of ordinary schoolchildren through their schooldays? Is this award not an insult to those teachers who do not have the privilege of teaching princes?

Plus, there's the usual controversy about an award for a millionaire who donated to both main political parties. Of course we all believe his knighthood has nothing to do with his generosity.

The honours list is still out-dated, and unless it is genuinely reformed, the achievements of people like Mr Rowling will never be fully recognised.