Prof MacCormick: Services to public law

Of his knighthood, he said: "This has to mean more - it's more important - than my first win or winning a world championship or my victory as a team owner."

Other being people being honoured include promininent MEP Professor Neil MacCormick, consumer champion Sheila McKechnie, a special police constable from Edinburgh and a sporran maker from Perthshire.

Prof MacCormick, 60, is being knighted in recognition of services to public law, while Mrs McKenchie, of the Consumers' Association, is made a Dame for services to consumers.

Prof MacCormick has been a significant force behind the Scottish National Party, and became one of SNP's two European Parliament MEPs in 1999.

He is an acknowledged expert on Europe, knows several languages and has long advocated the case for Scottish independence within Europe.

Sheila McKechnie: "I am surprised and delighted"

SNP leader John Swinney said: "This award is a recognition of Neil MacCormick's tremendous academic achievements."

Falkirk-born Sheila McKechnie, 53, director of the Consumers' Association, becomes a dame in the honours list.

After attending Edinburgh University, where she was "one of the first of the revolting feminists of my generation," she first considered a civil service career but became a trade union official and then joined Shelter.

She said: "I am surprised and delighted for myself and Consumers' Association."

Scotland's "Sir Humphrey", whose function is nicknamed after the suave and Machiavellian civil servant in the Yes Minister TV series, is Muir Russell, 52, who becomes a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

He has been permanent secretary at the Scottish Executive since it was created with the arrival of devolution in 1999.

On the beat

Educated at Glasgow University, his civil service career began in the Scottish Office in 1970.

He said: "I am proud to receive this honour, which is recognition not just of me but the achievements of the organisation I am privileged to lead."

Other Scots honoured include Scottish Widows chief executive Michael Ross, for services to the financial sector and Highlands and Islands Enterprise chief executive James Hunter, who become CBEs.

Opera singer Linda Ormiston, from Strathaven, Lanarkshire, is awarded an OBE, and Janet Eagleton, from Murthly, Perthshire, is awarded an MBE - for services to sporran making.

MBEs were also awarded to Davina Laird, a cleaner at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital, bandleader James McLeod, from Dunblane, for services to charity, Orkney blacksmith William Sinclair Mowatt and playwright John Byrne, whose works include the Bafta-winning BBC TV comedy series Tutti Frutti.

Davina Laird: Hospital cleaner gets MBE

Peter Borland from Edinburgh, has served as a special constable with Lothian and Border police for over 30 years and has been awarded an MBE for his work within the community.

He first developed an interest in the police while working as a foreman for a pre-cast concrete company.

"I had thought about about going into a career in the police service but never got round to it," he said.

"It is good to work with so many dedicated professional people and the public don't seem to realise how rewarding the job can be."

Elsewhere, Janet Eagleton from Perthshire has been making sporrans for 20 years.

She continued the family trade after her father died and supplies The Black Watch, The Argyll and Sutheralnd Highlanders and The King's Own Scottish Borderers with the special belt pouches.

Her claim to fame is meeting Holywood film star Samuel L Jackson, after providing him with a sporran for his new film.

She said: "It's a great recognition. A lot of people said I should have got something for all the work for the regiments over the years and I guess that has now paid off."