To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to prevent those women's centres which do not end up in Transforming Rehabilitation supply chains closing from a lack of funds.

We invested £5.8 million on specific services for female offenders in the community in 2013-14, through Trust contract and partnership arrangements. This figure includes £3.78 million specifically ring-fenced for this purpose and we are committed to the continued funding of existing women's community services during the transitional period of the Transforming Rehabilitation programme.

The contracts that are in place between Probation Trusts and Women's Community Services in 2014-15 will then transfer to the respective community rehabilitation companies. Potential new providers of probation services will be required to show how they are going to meet the needs of female offenders as they develop their bids and this will be a key evaluation criterion.