As I write, terrible news is coming in from the Channel. At least three migrants have died after their boat capsized in freezing waters.

There may be more bodies recovered, but dozens more have been rescued by the RNLI and coast guard, working with the French Navy. Our thoughts will be with all those affected and involved.

This heartbreaking incident makes it all the more important that we bring an end to the evil criminal enterprises that induce people to risk their lives to make such perilous journeys. Many constituents have contacted me this year about the migrant crisis, expressing their concern and anxiety. Just this week, the Prime Minister announced a clear plan to try and deal with the problem. The deaths in the Channel make his plan all the more urgent.

This year, nearly a third of people arriving by small boat were from Albania — a safe and prosperous European country and a NATO ally. Many people find it hard therefore understand why we currently accept 55 per cent of these Albanian asylum claims but Germany, France, Sweden, and Belgium reject almost all of them. So we are reforming our system to remove this incentive.

First, we are creating a new dedicated unit of 400 specialised caseworkers to deal with Albanian claims and expedite cases within weeks. We’ve agreed a deal with Albania which will swiftly return people back there and deter others from travelling illegally.

Next, we are setting up a new ‘small boats operational command’ with support from both the military and the National Crime Agency. This unit will bring together and coordinate intelligence, interception, processing, and enforcement.

Migrants will also be moved out of hotels into less expensive accommodation such as disused holiday parks and former student halls. This will save the taxpayer significant cash — it costs £5.6m a day to house asylum seekers in hotels.

We are working to clear the asylum backlog by the end of 2023. We’re doing this by increasing the number of caseworkers, and radically simplifying the casework process with shorter guidance, fewer interviews, and less paperwork.

The Prime Minister has personally spent more time on dealing with this issue than anything else other than the economy. I hope many will be reassured that he is giving his full attention to ending the dangerous channel crossings, and praying that his efforts mean we do not see a repeat of the distressing events of this past week.