What are cookies files

When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. Where services are delivered on the internet, this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, for example, your computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.

These pieces of information are used to improve services for you through, for example:

  • measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and there’s enough capacity to ensure they are fast,
  • storing data on voting,
  • providing advertising content with more tailored to user’s interests,
  • storing information on your language preferences.

 

Our use of cookies

We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you.

There are two types of cookie you may encounter when using our website:
First party cookies: these are our own cookies, controlled by us and used to provide information about usage of our site.
Third party cookies: these are cookies found in other companies’ internet tools which we are using to enhance our site, for example Google, Facebook, Youtube or Twitter have their own cookies, which are controlled by them. These cookies are subject to their own privacy policies.

 

How to control and delete cookies

However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by our website, or indeed any other website, you can do this through your browser settings. The “Help” function within your browser should tell you how.

Alternatively, you may wish to visit www.aboutcookies.org which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of browsers. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your machine as well as more general information about cookies.

Please be aware that restricting cookies may impact on the functionality of our website.

If you wish to view your cookie code, just click on a cookie to open it. You’ll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.

For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.

To opt-out of third-parties collecting any data regarding your interaction on our website, please refer to their websites for further information.