As gas prices hit record highs, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng did not commit to any additional government help for struggling businesses. Some industries have warned firms could be forced to shut down operations. Mr Kwarteng said he was working closely with the Chancellor over possible support for energy intensive sectors - but a Treasury source denied this. Mr Kwarteng said domestic customers would not see a change to the energy price cap this winter. Asked on BBC One's Andrew Marr programme whether there would be additional government help for energy-intensive companies, Mr Kwarteng described the situation as "critical" and said he was "looking to find a solution". The doom-mongers re-emerged today, with the head of the Health Security Agency, Jenny Harries, warning that the UK faced an uncertain winter with the spread of coronavirus and the flu. She added that people were at "more significant risk of death and of serious illness if they are co-infected" with both viruses. I can see that makes sense, but it's this constant barrage of fear I object to. Sensibly, though, she went on to say: "It's a more uncertain year but I certainly would be encouraging everybody to go and get their vaccine." Common sense, I would say. No need to ratchet up the fear-factor. Let's keep our heads, as we can never lock the country down again - never. More than 40 million people in the UK were being offered a flu jab this year. Finally, and to my great concern, 40 small boats with 1,115 migrants on board crossed the Channel in two days, the Home Office said. On Saturday, Border Force picked up 491 migrants on 17 boats, while the French authorities prevented 114 people from making the crossing. On Friday 624 people crossed on 23 boats, with 300 more being stopped by the French authorities. In September, more migrants crossed than in any other previous month since the crisis began. Some 3,879 migrants made the crossing in September. This must be stopped and it's not until the EU drops its ludicrous open border policy that we'll begin to tackle this appalling trade in human misery.