Recommendation 100: Posthumous honours forfeiture policy
From Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report, published 25 February 2020.
Recommendation
The Cabinet Office should re-examine the policy on posthumous forfeiture, in order to consider the perspectives of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry asked the Cabinet Office to re-examine posthumous honours forfeiture policy. In September 2020, HM Government stated in a response published by the department that the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals was taking forward an "in-depth review of forfeiture policy in this area" (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020; Cabinet Office, Sep 2020). It explained that policy changes are made on advice from the committee and stated that it would keep the Inquiry informed of progress (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020). The response described a review of forfeiture policy, while posthumous forfeiture and the perspectives of victims and survivors were not mentioned in the sources (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2020 (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
The Honours and Appointments Secretariat in the Cabinet Office coordinates the operation of the honours system and supports the Forfeiture Committee and the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (known as the HD Committee). The HD Committee is the policy forum for the honours system. It gives advice about possible changes to the honours system and military medals policy. This includes responsibility for policy on forfeiture of honours. Its members are senior officials in the Civil Service and the Royal Household. An honour can be revoked if it is determined that an individual has behaved in a way that brings the honours system into disrepute. Specific examples of disrepute include being convicted of a criminal offence, sanctioned by a regulator, or stuck off by a professional body, but any action or inaction can be considered. Recommendations to forfeit are made by the Forfeiture Committee to the Prime Minister, and then to The Queen for approval. The Forfeiture Committee has a majority of independent members and is chaired by a Permanent Secretary, on delegated authority from the Head of the Civil Service. The Committee is not an investigatory body – it does not decide whether or not someone is guilty or innocent of a particular act. Instead, it reflects the findings of official investigations and makes a recommendation of whether or not the honours system has been brought into disrepute. The Committee is also not a policy-making body. Most of the structure and responsibility for the operation of the honours system is therefore independent of the government of the day. Changes to policy on forfeiture are made on advice from the HD Committee, which may in turn be advised by a range of sources including the Forfeiture Committee. The HD Committee is taking forward an in-depth review of forfeiture policy in this area, in response to the recommendations made by the Inquiry. We will continue to keep the Inquiry informed of progress in this area.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The document gives this passage once, under "the response to recommendations 1 and 2". The site records it on both recommendations.
Recommendation context
Site note: The Cabinet Office's guidance "Having honours taken away (forfeiture)" (GOV.UK, last updated 4 December 2025) says: "The Committee is able to consider a case where allegations of criminal behaviour are drawn to its attention within ten years of the death of the recipient." The guidance does not refer to this recommendation or say whether the posthumous policy was re-examined, so it is not recorded as progress on it. Read 28 September 2026.
Delivery
Cabinet Office says in progress (18 September 2020)
The HD Committee is taking forward an in-depth review of forfeiture policy in this area, in response to the recommendations made by the Inquiry.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Cabinet Office
Response, delivery statement