On Wednesday 23 October, the Home Secretary made an urgent statement following the tragic discovery of 39 bodies in the back of a refrigerated lorry in Essex. In a sombre House of Commons, I highlighted the importance of more effective, safe, and legal routes for migration.

The UK is one of the 27 countries that accepts resettled refugees. The system is often slow, and the numbers are low. We must do more to speed up this process, and to help other countries to do the same.

The following day (Thursday 24 October) I asked the Leader of the House to find time for a full debate about our role in responding to the crisis in forged migration, which the awful events this week have sadly highlighted once more.

Details are emerging of the people who lost their lives, many of whom were Vietnamese.  Whilst we wait to hear more, the desperate decisions they made on their journey are why I continue to urge our government for fair and humane migration routes. You can watch Wednesday’s full exchange with the Home Secretary below: