Honorary Degrees

University of East London

DSc: James Lovelock, independent scientist, visiting fellow at Green College, Oxford, originator of the Gaia hypothesis; Clement Ramsdale, expert entomologist with the World Health Organisation.

MMus: Angela Lear, pianist and Chopin scholar.

MA: Alison Steadman, actress.

MTech: Michael Legg, managing director of Hitachi-Seiki.

Honorary fellow: Anne Thompson, coordinator of the North and East London Access Federation, chair of the London CAT consortium executive committee, editor of the Journal of Access Studies.

University of Wolverhampton

DTech: Neville Soper, former assistant managing director of the construction division of Tarmac Group, fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Highways and Transportation, honorary fellow, governor and former chairman of governors of the university (1987-90).

University of Sunderland

DMus: Edward Gregson, principal of the Royal Northern College of Music and composer.

Honorary fellowship: Northern Arts, whose award will be accepted by Stella Robinson, councillor and chair of the regional arts board.

University of London

DLitt: Norman Foster, architect, founder and director of Norman Foster and Partners.

DMus: Beryl Grey, prima ballerina, The Royal Ballet; artistic director, London Festival Ballet (1968-71).

DSc (medicine): Walter Bodmer, principal, Hertford College, Oxford and former director general of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (1991-96).

DSc: Brian Flowers, chairman of the Nuffield Foundation and managing trustee, honorary fellow of the University of Birmingham.

DSc (economics): Royston Goode, Norton Rose professor of English law and fellow of St John's College, Oxford, barrister.

LLD: Laxmi Singhvi, high commissioner for India in the United Kingdom, senior advocate, Supreme Court of India.