To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people convicted of drink-driving related offences in Northern Ireland where a custodial sentence was not given were subsequently convicted of similar offences within 12 months of the original conviction in the last five years. (201507)

The table gives the number of convictions for drink/drug-driving related offences in Northern Ireland where a non-custodial sentence was given. Data in relation to the number of people who were subsequently convicted of similar offences within 12 months are not available. However, in 2004 (the latest year for which data are available) the two-year reconviction rate for all those sentenced to supervised community sentences was 33.7 per cent. compared with the predicted rate of 42.8 per cent. While we are not complacent, this is an encouraging sign and a clear indication that the measures and wide range of schemes put in place by the various criminal justice agencies to help reduce reconviction by offenders is having a positive impact.

Data in the following table cover the calendar years 2002 to 2006 (the latest available years) and are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.