Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made for benchmarking purposes of best practice in the treatment of group B streptococcal infections in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement. [21841]

Anne Milton MP; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State: The treatment of group B streptococcal infection is a matter for clinicians and should be in line with evidence-based clinical guidance such as those published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence or in this case the Green Top guideline published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in November 2003. This guidance can be found on the RCOG website at:

www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/uploaded-files/GT36GroupBStrep2003.pdf

The Department does not undertake benchmarking of best practice in clinical treatment.