Keith Vaz, leading NRI Labour MP from Leicester East, has been elected chairman of Britain's Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons.
According to an official announcement, 50-year-old Vaz becomes the first ethnic minority MP to be elected chair of a Commons departmental committee.
The Home Affairs Committee is considered one of the most influential committees of the House of Commons.
Commenting on his unanimous election, Vaz on Sunday said, "I am delighted with this decision. It is a great honour and privilege to serve."
Vaz has been Member of Parliament for Leicester East since June 1987. He was Opposition Front Bench spokesperson for Environment between 1992 and 1997.
He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to John Morris as Attorney General 1997-99, to Solicitors General Lord Falconer of Thoroton 1997-98, Ross Cranston 1998-99, Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's department 1999, Minister for Europe in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office between 1999 and 2001, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee 1987-1992 and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee 2003-2007.
The motion that Vaz take the chair of the Committee was proposed by Martin Salter MP and agreed unanimously.
Vaz declared his interests, as required by the Resolution of the House of July 13, 1992. In addition to the interests declared in the current Register of Members' Interests, Vaz declared that he was a non-practising barrister and that his wife was a solicitor and part-time judge.