Now that the plans for a big new women's prison near Greenock have been ditched by the Scottish Government, the question is what will take its place.

Ministers retreated over the plans last month, smarting from criticism of its plans.

When he announced the decision new justice secretary Michael Matheson said one thing was certain: any new plans must include options for smaller regional facilities for female offenders across Scotland, rather than one large central jail.

This is in line with the recommendations of former lord advocate Elish Angiolini, in the 2011 report from her Commission on Women Offenders.

But the details so far are non-existent, leaving space for new ideas to be explored.

One housing association chief would like to see social housing providers much more involved.

The commission called for the Government and Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to do much more to engage with housing providers. It had in mind the number of women who lose their homes when they go to jail.

But Charles Milne, chief executive of Fife-based Kingdom Housing Association - until recently a member of the parole board for Scotland - believes the sector could do more and provide some of those 'smaller regional facilities'

He argues housing associations have already taken a role in helping people move from long-stay mental institutions into the community. Given what we know about levels of mental ill-health in the female prison population, that is not a minor consideration.

Many already also have support for people such as problem tenants to change their behaviour. Specialists are often knowledgeable about the triggers which cause people to reoffend.

Social housing providers will also have the expertise to support women with the social issues they face, and may be able to help improve their confidence and.

In short, housing associations are well-placed to help coordinate the types of service reconfiguration envisaged by Dame Elish, he says. In terms of transferrable skills it is all there.

In terms of bricks and mortar it may not be, and there may be a need for a dose of realism. A need for smaller localised secure facilities could involve new build, which would involve some bold reallocation of resources, Mr Milne admits.

But a bigger challenge could be nimby-ism. He doesn't call it that, but concedes "there's always the potential for a reaction."

Some in the housing association movement have long been unhappy about the rehousing of sex offenders in the community and while we don't have bail hostels in Scotland, in England where they are widespread, they are prone to provoke controversy in the communities where they are sited.

Mr Milne admits, "this would only work if you could persuade communities that there is effective monitoring."

Glasgow's 218 project is a half-way house for women offenders. It was hugely praised in Elish Angiolini's report and it is no coincidence that Mr Matheson chose to kibosh the government's HMP Inverclyde plan at its premises.

But if such facilities were being sought throughout the country, who would provide them? There is certainly a logic to Mr Milne's proposal. A spokesman for the justice department says: "We would certainly welcome contributions from housing associations as part of the current consultation taking place for more ambitious plans for Scotland."