Cookies Policy

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer which provide practical benefits to both users and website operators. When you visit a site that uses cookies for the first time, a cookie is downloaded onto your PC. The next time you visit that site, your PC checks to see if it has a cookie that is relevant (that is, one containing the site name) and sends the information contained in that cookie back to the site. The site then ’knows’ that you have been there before, and in some cases, tailors what pops up on screen to take account of that fact. Cookies do not harm your computer. The content of the cookies are read and written by the web pages you visit. They do not search your hard drive and can only store information that you sent to the website, or what the website wants to store in them.

Why do we use them?

Our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website in order to provide increased functionality and service. This not only helps us to provide you with a better experience, but also to help us improve our website and services.

The cookies we use only contain anonymous information to improve the services we offer, and do not contain personal information.

Some of our cookies come from third party applications such as Google Analytics, which shows us how people found our site and how they explored it. This information is sent to Google and is used to evaluate how our website is being used, which tells us how to best present the information you need. 

Information on how to opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites and Google's use of cookies can be found on Google Analytics Opt-out (opens in a new window) and Google privacy pages. (opens in a new window)

SOCITM Take-up Service.

The Socitm take-up service provides information about the number of visitors to our site, as well as other information about the reasons people are coming to the site, how they got here, what the experience was like and whether they are likely to visit again. The information is collected through a short exit survey and launched as every fifth visitor leaves the site. The Socitm Insight Website take-up Service uses cookies to determine whether a customer has participated in the survey on or not. The survey uses this information to prevent a customer using the same user account on the same computer from being asked to participate in the survey again during the current survey year. These cookies are set to expire one year after placement.

Further information can be found on the Socitm’s cookies and website take up service web page.

Can I delete or limit cookies?

We recommend that you allow the above cookies, but if you decide that you would like to delete or control which cookies are allowed, then information on how to do this can be found by visiting aboutcookies.org. (opens in a new window)