To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have in Northern Ireland to provide more and better alternatives to custody, together with restorative justice, for non-violent and repeat offenders, including women and fine and licence defaulters.

The existing range of community penalties and suspended sentences means that only around 8 per cent of convicted offenders are sentenced to immediate custody.

We are committed to doing more. From 1April 2009 electronic monitoring has been available to the courts in Northern Ireland and offers an alternative to custodial remand in appropriate cases.

Plans are also well advanced for improving fine enforcement and providing an alternative to custody for fine default. We will be announcing shortly a wider package of reform that is targeted towards all offenders who are fined, but may have a particular relevance to women offenders.

In addition, plans are well advanced for a range of alternatives to prosecution for low-level offences.

A very successful model of statutory youth conferencing has been operating in Northern Ireland for some time, reducing the time of custody for young people.

There are plans to develop tailored restorative interventions with female offenders both as an alternative to prosecution and as a targeted element of certain community disposals. The proposals are contained in the Draft Strategy for the Management of Women Offenders published for consultation on 23 February, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.