What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores in your browser. It allows the site to remember certain things between page loads — that you have made a particular choice, for example, or that you have visited the site before. A cookie is not a program in itself: it cannot run anything on your device, and it does not contain the files stored on your computer.
Cookies also differ in how long they live. Some exist only for as long as the browser is open and disappear when you close it. Others remain for a set period, so that a repeat visit can be told apart from a first one.
What this site uses them for
This website uses cookies for two things.
- The basic operation of the site. These cookies make sure the site works as intended at all — that the form is submitted securely, that your choice about cookies is remembered, and that the site doesn't misbehave as you move from one section to another. Without them the site would not function correctly, which is why they cannot be turned off within the site itself.
- Anonymous visitor statistics. To understand how many people visit the site, which sections are read and whether the site works on different devices. This data shows us a summary — that a particular section was opened a certain number of times this month, for instance. We do not use it to identify any individual visitor.
Necessary and statistics cookies
The difference between these two groups is a substantial one, and it bears on the choice you have.
| Necessary | Statistics | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are for | Running the site and submitting the form securely | Compiling visitor numbers and the most-read sections |
| Can they be refused | No — the site doesn't work without them | Yes, at any time |
| Do they identify you | No | No — the data is aggregated |
| If you refuse | Not applicable | The site works exactly the same |
Third-party services
Visitor statistics may be provided by an external analytics service rather than by a system of our own. In practice that means the statistics cookie is set by that service, and we view the aggregated data in its tool. Services of this kind can change over time, so we describe them here by function rather than by name. How we handle data generally is described in the privacy policy.
How to control and delete cookies
Cookies are managed by the browser rather than by the website, so ultimate control rests with you. In all the common browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — the settings contain a section on privacy and cookies where you can:
- see what cookies have been stored;
- delete all of them or individual ones;
- block cookies from particular sites or from all sites;
- block third-party cookies separately;
- set cookies to be deleted every time you close the browser.
There is also private browsing mode, in which cookies are deleted when you close the window. Bear in mind that deleting cookies applies to every site, not just this one — you may then have to sign in again elsewhere.
If you block or delete the statistics cookies, the website works exactly as before. Every section is readable, and the enquiry form can be submitted without restriction. The only difference is that your visit doesn't appear in the statistics we compile.
Changes
We may supplement this policy if the technical solutions we use change. The current version is always available on this page. General terms of use for the site are set out separately.