London, UK

An agreement between Britain and France to step up their combined efforts to prevent dangerous English Channel crossings by illegal immigrants is expected to be reached as soon as Monday, according to a British newspaper. 

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According to the Telegraph newspaper, the deal would result in a large increase in the 200 French officers and volunteers who patrol Channel beaches, and France will strive to stop a "much higher" percentage of migrants from leaving. 

It stated that France will consent to a joint control centre with British immigration officers stationed there.

James Cleverly, the foreign minister of the United Kingdom, and Catherine Colonna, her French counterpart, released a statement on Friday highlighting the "urgency of tackling all forms of illegal migration." 

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According to British authorities, an agreement is imminent. 

On Saturday, representatives of the British and French governments chose not to comment on the reports. 

The Express newspaper reported that an agreement would be reached in the coming week and that it would probably include additional British drones to find migrants hiding in sand dunes before they attempt the perilous crossings, which are sometimes made in flimsy dinghies.

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Small boats have carried almost 40,000 migrants across the English Channel so far this year, up from 28,526 last year. This has put pressure on Rishi Sunak, the incoming British Prime Minister, to find a method to reduce the flow. 

After deteriorating under past prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who questioned whether French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend or foe during her candidacy for prime minister, relations between Britain and France have improved since Sunak entered office last month.

(with inputs from agencies)