Cookies
We use cookies on this website. The next few sections contain information on the following:
What are cookies?
Why do we use cookies?
What cookies do we use?
How to control cookies.
What are Cookies
Where we use the word ‘device', we mean the computer, mobile phone, tablet or other device you use to access the internet.
Cookies are created when you visit a website that uses cookies. Cookies are small files of letters and numbers. These files are either stored in the memory of your device or are placed on the hard drive of your device.
If you'd like to read more about cookies, we think this website contains a lot of helpful information: http://www.aboutcookies.org/default.aspx
Why do we use cookies?
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users of this website and to provide increased functionality on our website. This helps us to provide you with a better user experience and also allows us to work to improve our website.
We don't use any of our cookies to collect personal information about you, only anonymous information. We don't use any of our cookies to target you with online advertising.
Please note that not all the cookies on our website are set by us (see Cookies set by third parties below).
What cookies do we use?
We use two different types of cookie: Strictly Necessary Cookies and Performance Cookies.
Strictly Necessary Cookies - These cookies are essential. Without them, you wouldn't be able to move around our website or use its features. We use these cookies to:
- Allow your computer to be recognised within a website so any page changes, item or data selection is remembered; and
- Detect software on your device which enables content on our website.
These cookies are only stored for the duration of your visit to our website.
Performance Cookies - These cookies aren't essential but they provide us with useful anonymous information about how people use our website. Without them, it would be difficult for us to understand how our website is performing and we may miss out on the opportunity to make improvements that could enhance your user experience. We use these cookies to:
- Obtain statistics about how our website is used (including which pages are visited most often and how users came to visit our website);
- Evaluate website performance; and
- Help us ensure that the content and features on our website are relevant for your future visits.
Within the site there are currently 8 first party cookies that are being set.
The cookies are listed below and are classified by the ICO cookie categorization.
CMS Cookies
Classification: Strictly necessary
These cookies are session cookies that are used to link a user to a session and determine if the users browser supports javascript.
| Name | Expires |
| The Session ID | Immediately |
| has_js | End of session |
Analytics
Classification: Performance
The following four cookies are set by Google Analytics to track visits to the site.
| Name | Expires | Description |
| __utma | Now + 2 years | This cookie is typically written to the browser upon the first visit to our site from that web browser. If the cookie has been deleted by the browser operator, and the browser subsequently visits our site, a new utma cookie is written with a different unique ID. This cookie is used to determine unique visitors to our site and it is updated with each page view. Additionally, this cookie is provided with a unique ID that Google Analytics uses to ensure both the validity and accessibility of the cookie as an extra security measure. |
| __utmb | Now + 30 minutes | This cookie is used to establish and continue a user session with our site. When a user views a page on our site, the Google Analytics code attempts to update this cookie. If it does not find the cookie, a new one is written and a new session is established. Each time a user visits a different page on our site, this cookie is updated to expire in 30 minutes, thus continuing a single session for as long as user activity continues within 30-minute intervals. This cookie expires when a user pauses on a page on our site for longer than 30 minutes. |
| __utmc | End of session | This cookie operates in conjunction with the utmb cookie to determine whether or not to establish a new session for the user. In particular, this cookie is not provided with an expiration date, so it expires when the user exits the browser. Should a user visit our site, exit the browser and then return to your website within 30 minutes, the absence of the utmc cookie indicates that a new session needs to be established, despite the fact that the utmb cookie has not yet expired. |
| __utmz | Now + 6 months | This cookie stores the type of referral used by the visitor to reach our site, whether via a direct method, a referring link, a website search, or a campaign such as an ad or an email link. It is used to calculate search engine traffic, ad campaigns and page navigation within our own site. The cookie is updated with each page view to our site. |
Privacy policy: http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ads/
YouTube
Classification: Performance
The following cookies are set by YouTube embedded videos.
| Name | Expires |
| HSID | Now + 10 years |
| PREF | Now + 10 years |
| SID | Now + 10 years |
| SSID | Now + 10 years |
| VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | Now + 7 months |
| demographics | Now + 1.5 years |
Privacy policy: http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/
Classification: Performance
The following cookies are set from the facebook like box
| Name | Expires |
| datr | Now + 2 years |
| locate | Now + 5 days |
Privacy policy: http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/other
Category: Performance, Functionality
The following cookies are set by embedded tweets in the blog.
| Name | Expires |
| _twitter_sess | End of session |
| guest_id | Now + 23 months |
| k | Now + 2 years |
| original_referer | End of session |
Privacy policy: https://twitter.com/privacy
Careers page
Classification: Performance, Functionality
The following cookies are used by the recruitment pages, to record sessions whilst searching and applying for jobs.
| Name | Expires |
| The session ID | Immediately |
| has_js | End of session |
How to control cookies
How to control cookies on this and other websites: You can use your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari etc) to allow, switch off or delete cookies on this and other websites. Each web browser is different so check the ‘Help' function of your particular browser to determine how to update your cookie settings. If you are having difficulty updating your cookie settings, we recommend the website: http://www.aboutcookies.org/default.aspx. It contains a step by step guide explaining how to update your cookies settings on most web browsers. Please note that, in a few cases, switching off or deleting cookies may reduce the functionality of or prevent access to certain websites (including this website).
Cookies set by third parties
We use a number of social media tools and external applications to enhance your interaction with this website - for example, we sometimes embed videos from YouTube. As a result, you may be sent cookies from these third party websites. We do not control these cookies and we suggest you check these third party websites for more information about the cookies they use. Please also see How to control cookies on this and other websites above for guidance on how you can switch off or delete cookies on other websites.