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A black female MP spoke at the dispatch box for the first time when Dawn Butler took questions in the Commons this morning.
MPs offered the cabinet office minister warm words as she rose from the government front bench to answer questions on the voluntary sector.
First to congratulate her was Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill), who asked what recent assessment she has made of levels of access to voluntary activities for people with disabilities.
"Can I encourage her to work with excellent organisations like Mencap and People First to ensure people with learning disabilities can play the full part in voluntary activity," he said.
Butler said it was a "pleasure" to be answering for the government, and said she was keen to ensure disabled people were included in voluntary activity in the time of a recession.
Tory grandee Nicholas Winterton also offered his congratulations, but, anticipating a Conservative victory at the general election, drew laughter by suggesting Butler may be in post for a "relatively short time".
Winterton said that it was critical that disabled people were able to participate in voluntary activity.
He said: "This group of people are suffering, and are not able to indulge in all the worthwhile activities that would make their life worthwhile, profitable and well."
Butler said that the Office of the Third Sector was "building a platform" to ensure people with disability could participate fully.
"The schemes that are put in place will be revised in 2011," she added.
A trade union equality officer committed to race and gender politics, Dawn Butler was selected from an all ethnic minority shortlist to succeed the former cabinet minister Paul Boateng when he stood down from Brent South at the 2005 election.
In her maiden speech she described her constituency as a shining example of integration at its best, paid tribute to other sitting and former black MPs and said she would be a voice for youth.
Butler was caught up this summer's expenses scandal when she was criticised for claiming nearly £60,000 in allowances over three years to refurbish and run a second home when her family home in East London was only fifteen miles away and equidistant from Westminster.
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