But critics said this was just a 'flimsy' excuse to keep crisis at arms length

So far in 2015 tens of thousands have made journey, with 1,800 drowning

The majority of people trying to cross the Mediterranean are economic migrants seeking out a better life and are not fleeing persecution in their own countries, the immigration minister has claimed.

James Brokenshire also warned that programmes to relocate those who reach Europe risk exacerbating the crisis when he appeared in front of a sub-committee at the House of Lords today.

But his comments have drawn sharp criticism from refugee groups, who say it is just another example of the Government trying to distance itself from the crisis which has seen 1,800 people drown in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year.

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Economic: The majority of migrants are looking for a better life rather than fleeing persecution, James Brokenshire claimed when he appeared in front of a sub-committee at the House of Lords

Mr Brokenshire said: 'In terms of the mix of people who are seeking to make that journey, our estimate is that the majority of those are probably economic migrants, rather than those who are fleeing persecution or some sort of civil conflict.

'Therefore it is to try to make a better life in the EU rather than on that greater humanitarian side.'

So far in 2015, tens of thousands of people have undergone the perilous journey across the sea from Turkey or North Africa.

Many have landed in Greece and Italy, leading to EU leaders announcing 40,000 migrants will be relocated from the besieged countries over the next two years.

The UK has opted out of the scheme, and instead urged the EU to focus on tackling trafficking gangs which arrange the crossings.

Mr Brokenshire was grilled on the Government policy when he appeared in front of the EU home affairs sub-committee.

He stood by the policy - although he was keen to point out they were in agreement with the European agenda on the crisis on a number of issues.

Concerns: Mr Brockenshire stood by the decision to opt out of the relocation quota, suggesting the move would play into the people trafficker's 'false narrative'. Pictured: Migrants trying to cross at Calais

But he added: 'We've not signed up to the compulsory relocation. We think that is almost moving the problem around, dealing with the symptoms rather than the cause.'

He raised questions about the feasibility of the plan given that it is likely to be followed by 'secondary flows' of migrants to other countries.

Mr Brokenshire - who said between 500,000 and 600,000 Libyans were estimated to want to travel towards Europe - also argued there was an intrinsic 'weakness' in the scheme, as 'you might try to relocate people to one country but the reality is they are unlikely to stay there'.

He added that such a plan was also likely to play into the traffickers hands, becoming part of their 'false narrative', in much the same way the assurances of rescue from the Mediterranean had become an excuse to use un-seaworthy boats.

But Refugee Council chief executive Maurice Wren reacted angrily to his comments.

'The immigration minister's sweeping judgment that the majority of people arriving on Europe's shores from some of the world's biggest refugee producing countries are economic migrants is utterly startling,' she said.