Lord Alton was speaking after the death toll in the area was estimated to be 30 times higher than at the same time last year.
On Friday, Irish and British naval ships helped rescue more than 200 migrants as they tried to cross the sea in makeshift inflatables.
They were spotted by Ireland's naval flagship during a joint humanitarian mission 37 miles north of Libya.
At least one baby was among the 201 men, women and children, who will now be taken to a port of safety in Italy.
Lord Alton Of Liverpool asked the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: "How many migrants from the Middle East or North Africa are thought to have died in the past 12 months; how many are being held within the European Union; what progress is being made in deterring human traffickers from exploiting and endangering such migrants; and what are their short- and long-term policies regarding such migrants."
In one case on April 19th more than 800 migrants drowned trying to cross the ocean on a make-shift vessel and the high numbers of people fleeing persecution and danger is expected to increase as the weather improves over the summer months.
Speaking on Premier's News Hour at the beginning of the crisis the vice chairman of the Evangelical Alliance in Italy, Leonardo De Chirico said: "It is our responsibility to rescue anybody who is at risk. It is our common humanity, it is our responsibility as human beings to rescue as many [people] as we can in danger.
"The Italian shores are very close to the Libyan shores and Tunisian shores and it's quiet easy - although risky... to come through the Mediterranean, easier than to go through Turkey and Greece and take the longer route, " he added.
Earlier this week Germany, France and Spain have agreed to take a few thousand migrants each, however the UK International Development Secretary Justine Greening has rejected this idea in case it acts as a 'pull factor' for migrants.
The response to Lord Alton's concerns is expected to be released on June 10.
