Cookie policy

What is a cookie?

A cookie is a simple text file that is stored on a user's computer (or mobile device) that is created when a user visits a website using a program called a browser (for example Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari).

A cookie isn't a program itself and doesn't actively do anything on a user's computer. A cookie cannot be used to identify a user personally but they do contribute to improving a user's experience of a website.

A cookie simply allows the website to read the contents of the cookie text file. The text file itself simply contains a unique identifier code; the site name and some digits and numbers.

Why are Cookies used?

Most websites will use cookies in order to improve the user experience by enabling the website to remember the user, either for the duration of the visit or for repeat visits.

Cookies do lots of different jobs, such as:

remembering what items a user may have added to a shopping basket or an itinerary as the user moves between pages on a website
saving a user's preferences to allow them to customise a website
measuring what users do on a website to ascertain which parts of a website are popular, how long they spend on a website, how often users return, where they come from etc

What Cookies are used by this site?

Cookies are set by this website (first party cookies) but may also be set by other websites (e.g. You Tube) that run content on the website's pages (third party cookies).

Cookies can be set to remember a visitor for the duration of their visit (session cookies) or to remember a visitor for repeat visits (persistent cookies).

The following categories of cookies are used by this website:

Strictly necessary cookies

Strictly necessary cookies allow core website functionality such as user login and account management. The website cannot be used properly without strictly necessary cookies. These cannot be turned off in our systems.

Examples:

Cookie consent preferences (receive-cookie-deprecation).
General purpose platform session cookie (ASP.NET_SessionId).
Cookies to distinguish between humans and bots (__cf_bm).

Performance

Performance cookies are used to see how visitors use the website, eg. analytics cookies. Those cookies cannot be used to directly identify a certain visitor. This helps us improve functionality and performance of the website.

Examples:

Google Analytics (_gid / _ga).
Analytic purposes (__adal_ses / __adal_cw / _aeaid).

Targeting

Targeting cookies are used to identify visitors between different websites, eg. content partners, banner networks. Those cookies may be used by companies to build a profile of visitor interests or show relevant ads on other websites.

Examples:

User interactions and engagement (__adal_id).
Views of embedded videos (YSC / VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE).
Targeted advertising and retargeting (TAPID / _gcl_au).
Advertising campaign conversions and effectiveness (__adal_ca).
Views of documents being read (iutk).

Functionality

Functionality cookies are used to remember visitor information on the website, eg. language, timezone, enhanced content.

Examples:

Reading interface settings (aelreadersettings).
Embedded media preferences (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo - _cfuvid).
Browser version identity (browser_version_alert).

Unclassified

Unclassified cookies are cookies that do not belong to any other category or are in the process of categorization.

Third party cookies

This website uses third-party services (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps) that also place cookies through our site. These services have their own privacy policies and cookie declarations.

List of individual cookies

To view a full list of all the cookies the website uses please see the 'Cookie Declaration' tab after clicking the 'Show details' text on the cookie banner button at the bottom left-hand side of this website.

How do I disable cookies?

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings or via our cookie banner when you first visit the site. You can also adjust your preferences at any time by clicking on the cookie banner button at the bottom left-hand side of this website.