MICHAEL GOVE admitted today that “big lessons” needed to be learned over care homes as Labour called for the planned expansion of testing for coronavirus to go further and faster. 

The government has been under increasing pressure to acknowledge it failed to provide adequate support to the sector, with the Cabinet Office minister claiming “significant steps” had been taken.  

Mr Gove insisted that the government was now focused on beating the virus. 

He told the Andrew Marr Show: “We are still living through this pandemic and there will be lessons to be learned. We have taken significant steps to improve the care of people in care homes.

“There will be a point in the future when all of us can look back and reflect and make sure we have learned the appropriate lessons.

“At the moment, we are focused on making sure we beat the virus and protect people as effectively as possible."

Opposition politicians have called for an urgent investigation into the thousands of care home deaths across Britain, many of which are unaccounted for. 

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said those working in the sector were not given adequate guidance to protect themselves and warned that testing regimes continue to be too slow to be rolled out. 

She added: “Care home workers are not given the support that they need to help. 

“We’ve seen the devastating effects of what’s happened because the government has failed to do that. 

“Our care workers cannot continue to be undervalued. I think they’ve been tragically let down.”

The call came as Labour in Scotland increased the pressure on the government to expand testing as soon as possible. 

Leaders in the Scottish care sector have warned that all care home residents and workers should be tested, but this is not currently taking place. 

This follows analysis revealing that 600 excess deaths, not directly related to Covid-19, have been recorded in Scotland’s care homes in the past seven weeks.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: “We must take decisive action to protect the staff and residents still at risk. 

“That means rather than expecting care home staff to go to testing stations, testing must be taken to them.”