To help improve this site we place small files, known as cookies, onto your computer.
Our cookies are there to make the site work better for you, and to allow you to use services while logged in. They do this by:
- measuring how you use the website so we can improve it to meet your needs
- ensuring the website works properly
- remember the notifications you've seen so that we don't show them to you again
- identifying you once you've logged in to the site
You can manage these small files as you wish. You can even decide to stop any site from using them.
To learn more about cookies and how to manage them visit AboutCookies.org.
How we use cookies
We use cookies for several purposes on this website – we’ve listed each of them below with more details about why we use them and how long they’ll last.
Measuring website usage (Google Analytics)
We use Google Analytics to collect information about how people use our site, and rough demographics as to what groups of people are using our site. We do this to make sure it’s meeting your needs and to understand how we could improve it. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking.
Google Analytics stores information about:
- the pages you visit
- how long you spend on each page
- how you got to the site
- what you click on while you're here
- your broad demographic profile (age range, gender, interests)
Google Analytics does not have access to the personal information you provide us (eg your name) so it doesn’t know who you are.
The following cookies are set by Google Analytics:
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | This helps us count how many people visit the site by tracking if you've visited before | 2 years |
| _utma | Like _ga, this lets us know if you’ve visited before, so we can count how many of our visitors are new to the site or to a certain page | 2 years |
| _utmb | This works with _utmc to calculate the average length of time you spend on the site | 30 minutes |
| _utmc | This works with _utmb to calculate when you close your browser | when you close your browser |
| _utmz | This tells us how you reached the site (like from another website or a search engine) | 6 months |
| _gat_UA-376728-1 | This is used by Google Analytics to ensure its work doesn't have a big impact on the site's performance | 1 day |
Website operation
The system that runs our website sets cookies to allow it to run smoothly.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| PHP session cookie | To link you to a session in PHP, which is a way to store information to be used across multiple pages | When you log out or close your browser |
Logged in access
Our system uses cookies to allow you to log into the site, and access restricted content and services.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Drupal.visitor.jisclogoff | To manipulate page cache once you log out | 1 year |
NB: Cookie guidance wording adapted from gov.uk, shared under the Open Government License.