LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is to put an extra 1,200 troops on standby after private security firm G4S last week said it would be unable to provide its full quota of guards on time, the government said on Thursday.

"Ministers agreed today that there is no current need to deploy any additional troops," Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt said in a statement.

But he said as part of contingency plans, an additional 1,200 troops would be put on standby.

The number is in addition to the 3,500 troops drafted in last week to guard venues.

(Reporting by Avril Ormsby)