The US remains committed to delivering a road map for a lasting "two state solution" to the Middle East peace process, Tony Blair has told MPs.

Speaking in the Commons ahead of a meeting with George W Bush, the prime minister said peace plans were still on track.

"Of course we believe that the Middle East peace process is important," he said.

"It is for that reason that we have made it clear that when the Palestinian prime minister has his cabinet in place then the road map will be given to the Israeli government and to the Palestinian Authority.

The prime minister denied suggestions that the US administration was obstructing progress towards the creation of a viable Palestinian state.

"I do believe that the conversations I have had over many weeks with president Bush - and from the statement that we made in the Azores - that the commitment of the United States is there to making sure that the road map is not only published but then carried through."

Quizzed on the wider issue of the war against Iraq, Blair insisted that the progress to date had been "remarkable".

Iain Duncan Smith asked the prime minister whether Britain would be following the US in sending additional troops to the Gulf.

Blair said the UK had enough troops in the region to do the job.

And he added that they had to be ready to support an uprising against the Iraqi regime when it comes.

"At the present time, people in Iraq are simply watching and waiting to see what happens," the Commons was told.

Iain Duncan Smith said the coalition must win the PR war in Iraq.

"It is vitally important we now send a very clear message to the Iraqi people that those who do rise up will receive our full military backing and that their cause has become our cause," he said.