Cookie Regulations

On 26 May 2011 UK Legislation came into force, requiring website owners to gain permission from visitors before setting Cookies on their computers

What are Cookies?
Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognises that cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device. You can find more information about cookies at: www.allaboutcookies.org and www.youronlinechoices.eu for a video about cookies visit www.google.co.uk/goodtoknow/data-on-the-web/cookies.

Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improve the user experience. They can also help to ensure that adverts you see online are more relevant to you and your interests.

Types of Cookies
The International Chamber of Commerce has defined 4 categories of cookies.

Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies services you have asked for, like shopping baskets or e-billing, cannot be provided.

Performance Cookies
These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. It is only used to improve how a website works.

Functionality Cookies
These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with local weather reports or traffic news by storing in a cookie the region in which you are currently located. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for such as watching a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.

Targeting Cookies or Advertising Cookies
These cookies are used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator’s permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers. Quite often targeting or advertising cookies will be linked to site functionality provided by the other organisation.

Refusing the third-party cookies from the cookie-related bar at the bottom of the site, tracking via Google Analytics (and therefore the related cookies) will be anonymous. By clicking on “Accept” instead, the Google Analytics tracking will store detailed informations.

What cookies will a website set on my computer?
A website will normally have a page describing their cookie policy or this may be contained within the privacy policy for the site.

Google Analytics
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ( “Google”) . Google Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files that are stored on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your anonymous IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for the operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required by law or where such third parties process the above information on Google's behalf. Google shall not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you will not be able to use all the functions of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and purposes set out above.

If you refuse third-party cookies from the bar at the bottom of the site, a bar provided for consenting to the use of cookies, tracking through google analytics (and therefore the related cookies) will be performed anonymously. If you click on "Accept", tracking will be transparent.

You can prevent Google detection of a cookie that is generated as a result of and related to your use of this website (including your IP address) and the processing of such data by downloading and installing this plugin to your browser: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en