A NORTH Yorkshire MP is aiming to help tackle rough sleeping after being appointed a Government minister at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Selby and Ainsty MP, Nigel Adams has been named a Parliamentary under Secretary of State. He has been appointed temporarily to provide support so minister Heather Wheeler MP can spend more time with her husband who has health issues.

A Downing Street statement said: “The Queen has been pleased to approve that Nigel Adams MP be appointed Parliamentary under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

“Mr Adams’ role is unpaid and is in addition to his current role as lord commissioner to HM Treasury and Government Whip.”

Mr Adams’ new role will involve a range of responsibilities, including being minister for homelessness and tasked with delivering the Government’s strategy aimed at reducing and eliminating rough sleeping. Following the appointment, Mr Adams said: “I am honoured to have been asked to fulfil this interim ministerial role.

“The Government is taking significant action to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping and I am looking forward to getting stuck in to help deliver our aim of initially halving rough sleeping then eliminating it altogether.”

In January this year, The Press reported that the number of rough sleepers on the streets of York rose by 61 per cent in a year.

Figures released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government showed there were 29 rough sleepers in York during an annual street count in November 2017 - up from 18 the previous year.

The percentage increase was three times the average for Yorkshire and Humber.