More than half-a-million pages of government documents will become available on the Internet for the first time today.

More than half-a-million pages of government documents will become available on the Internet for the first time today.

Thanks to a project launched by the National Archives on its website, cabinet papers from a 60-year period have been digitised and can now be accessed for free.

Now anyone interested in the decisions made at the highest levels of government can search for them online as part of the cabinet papers 1915-1977 project.

It will provide an opportunity for historians, students and those interested in political history to delve into key cabinet discussions.

The website will include a series of teaching aids, such as interactive maps and images. Officials hope it will become a valuable resource for students, as it covers topics that form an integral part of school syllabuses.

Edward Hampshire, contemporary records expert at the National Archives, said: "This is an extremely valuable collection in terms of modern British history and for the first time we have been able to open it up to everyone, not just those who are able to come to (the archives in) Kew.

"While we have created some fantastic resources for students, we hope the tools will help to open up the files to everyone with an interest in British history and politics."

The records, at www. nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers, will be free to access and download for schools and colleges teaching A-Levels in England and Wales for 10 years, for universities and colleges in England and Wales for five years, and for everyone else for 18 months.