Readers respond to new government statistics showing that 9,900 Furness jobs have been protected through the furlough scheme.

Alex Rayment said: "The reason why the furlough scheme was needed was because the virus was circulating in large numbers (due in large part to a failure of government action to stop the virus particularly in March).The virus is still circulating in large numbers. So seems perplexing decision to remove furlough scheme right now. Especially with whole cities in some type of enhanced lockdown.

Julie Clarke said: "People are complaining that the government has borrowed too much money during these times they can’t do right for doing wrong. I think they’ve done a great job in supporting people during this time. They don’t have a bottomless pit. I’m heartbroken for people who will lose their jobs but it’s not the governments fault they didn’t invent the virus. More people would have lost their jobs if they had locked down earlier."

Dawn Robinson said: "The telling time will come when they decided who has to pay it back. I just don't want to see cuts to the NHS and taking the pay rises from the nurses. At the end of the day we could of got through this without the fat cats but not without the nurses and other key workers."

Anne Lowther said: "What happens when furlough ends, people may lose their jobs."