The government is calling for more members of ethnic communities — including Jews — to be nominated for national honours.

The Cabinet Office, which oversees the process, has organised a drive to boost the numbers of CBEs, MBEs and knighthoods going to members of minority groups.

The Jewish community is being asked to nominate candidates who “demonstrate exceptional service and achievement within the community.”

Alex McMurtrie, head of honours operations, said: “It is important for us to encourage a diverse and high quality range of nominations, including those within the Jewish community.

“We are under representing minority communities”

Mr McMurtrie and Dr Yvonne Thompson, who was recently appointed to the economics honours committee, have been holding seminars across the UK on the nomination process.

Dr Thompson said there was a commitment to change the “lack of nominations for women and minority groups”.

She said the Cabinet Office was looking to review how the identity of recipients of honours was monitored. Only six per cent of honours currently go to members of the ethnic minorities.

Members of the public can nominate candidates via the government website.