Queen's 90th birthday honours: Proportion of honours going to women is 'lowest for four years'

In recent years, the number of women recipients has climbed steadily - but 2016 represents an reversal of the trend

Martine Wiltshire, sitting Volleyball Player and Paralympian Team GB (PA)

The proportion of Birthday Honours going to women has fallen to its lowest level for four years.

Although women such as Independent columnist Janet Street-Porter, Forces' sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn and Paralympian Martine Wiltshire were honoured, only 46.8 per cent of the 2016 honours were awarded to women. Last year, the figure was more than half (51.2 per cent).

This year's proportion is the lowest since 2012, when just over four in 10 honours (41.5 per cent) went to women.

In recent years, the number has climbed steadily - but 2016 represents an reversal of the trend.

Other women homoured were actress Penelope Wilton, forensic anthropologist Professor Sue Black and designer Margaret Calvert, who designed such iconic road signs as the 'Children crossing' sign.

Ms Wiltshire, a Team GB sitting volleyball player and Paralympian, who lost both her legs in the London 7/7 bombings, was awarded an MBE.

The 43-year-old said: "I believe the power of sport has healed me, and hopefully I am an example of that.

"But I am not accepting this award just for me. I am going to accept for all those volunteers and all those people that helped put me together, and those that support the power of sport."

A youth worker whose revelations about child sexual exploitation in Rotherham led to the exposure of a scandal that shocked the nation has been awarded the MBE.

Jayne Senior said she was honoured but saddened that the award has come in the wake of so many "ruined and devastated" young lives.

Mrs Senior said the honour is another vindication of her stance in the South Yorkshire town after years of being accused of lying and exaggerating.

But she said this public recognition is "bittersweet" as it comes after the exploitation of hundreds of children in a scandal that could have been stopped if she had been listened to.

In four regions of the UK - Scotland, London, the East Midlands and Wales - more women than men are receiving awards.

In Scotland, the proportion of honours going to women is 54.5 per cent: the highest for any part of the country.

Yorkshire and the Humber has the lowest proportion: just 36.4 per cent.

Of the 477 people being awarded the MBE, just under half (47.8 per cent) are women.

The proportion falls to roughly four in 10 (41.9 per cent) for OBEs and just under a third (32.7 per cent) for CBEs.

But of those receiving the British Empire Medal, a majority - 54.5 per cent - are women.