Ian (47) has been a executive officer (team leader) with the pension service for the last six years.

For the last few years he has been heavily involved with AccessAble which aims to make life easier for disabled pension service workers across the UK.

The very first pension service disabled forum was held in Motherwell and a partnership was formed with Warrington Jobcentre for disabled people to get work experience to see if they could work in the pension service.

Ian even starred in a DVD showing how difficult it would have been for him to do his job in the past which is now being used as an educational DVD for new recruits.

Ian, from Coltness, joked: "I'm sure the DVD was the reason for me getting the award as the Queen must have got hold of a copy."

Ian has worked in the civil service for almost 30 years having previously been at the Inland Revenue, the DSS and Jobcentre Plus. He hopes the award will be something of an inspiration to other disabled people.

He said: "There is a lot of progress still to be made but I really am pleased to have received this award and I hope that it lets other disabled people know that while there are some things I can't do there are others that I certainly can.

"I hope it will be a yardstick and prove that being disabled doesn't mean having to sit back. My parents never objected to anything I tried to do and if it hadn't been for them I don't think I'd be where I am today.

"I also have to thank my family, friends and work colleagues for never treating me any differently and especially my sister for always being there for me.

"It could be five months before I find out where I have to collect my MBE and if I was able to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace that would just be the icing on the cake."

Ian has also been a bible class leader and elder at St Mark's Church in Coltness, a Boys' Brigade leader and run four amateur football teams including his current team, the War Office in Motherwell.