Eight UK business leaders have been knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, including the boss of utilities giant Centrica and Asian food entrepreneur GK Noon.

Roy Gardner, Centrica chief executive was given his knighthood for services to the gas and electricity industry.

Sir Roy was appointed finance director of British Gas in 1994, and from 1995, had responsibility for the business units which subsequently formed Centrica.

He is also president of Carers UK and chairman of the Employers' Forum on Disability.

Drugs giant

Gulam Kaderbhoy Noon - better known as GK - took over his family sweet business in Rajasthan, India, before moving to the UK and expanding the cottage industry into a multi-million pound food business.

From two factories in Southall, West London, Noon Products now produces more than three million Indian meals a month.

Other members of the business world receiving knighthoods include Thomas McKillop, chief executive of drugs giant Astrazeneca, for services to the pharmeceutical industry, and Professor Partha Sarathi Dasgupta, Frank Ramsay Professor of Economics at Cambridge University, for services to economics.

Peter Rigby, who runs a computer buisiness in Solihull, West Midlands, is knighted for services to information technology and business in the region.

Employment relations

Brian Stewart, chairman of Scottish and Newcastle, one of the UK's biggest brewery chains with more than 1,400 pubs, is knighted for services to industry.

Tony Young, senior deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers' Union, is knighted for services to employment relations.

Sir Anthony has been a member of the BBC's Board of Governors since July 1998.

Keith Whitson, group chief executive at HSBC bank, is knighted for services to banking.

Other business honours include:

CMG

• Peter Mathews, services to export
• Richard Turner, Rolls Royce, services to trade and investment

MBE

• William Morris, services to the fishing industry
• John Sadden, services to defence and shipbuilding