By Andrew Evans, Lords Staff, PA News

Plans to locate a UN military staff college in the UK have been welcomed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Foreign Office whip in the Lords disclosed today.

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale said at question time that the proposed college would run peacekeeping courses for officers of the armed forces of other countries. She added that the Government acknowledged a need to improve the UN's rapid deployment capabilities and would be reviewing UK services' training and exercise programmes to this effect.

Lady Ramsay also reported that UK troops were currently involved in UN peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Georgia, the IraqKuwait border, Kosovo and Sierra Leone.