Cookies on this website
When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. Where services are delivered on the internet, this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, for example, computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.
These pieces of information are used to improve services for you through, for example:
- enabling a service to recognise your device so you don't have to give the same information several times during one task;
- recognising that you may already have given a username and password so you don't need to do it for every web page requested;
- measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and there's enough capacity to ensure they are fast.
You can manage these small files yourself and learn more about them with this advice from Directgov:
Internet browser cookies - what they are and how to manage them.
Our use of cookies
Cookies for improving service
Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage:
| Name | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _utma | randomly generated number | 2 years |
| _utmb | randomly generated number | 30 minutes |
| _utmc | randomly generated number | when user exits browser |
| _utmz | randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (eg directly or via a link, organic search or paid search) | 6 months |
For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.
You can block these cookies for the duration of your visit to this site.
Cookie for recording acceptance of cookies
This cookie is only stored if you accept the use of the above cookies, in compliance with EU regulations.
| Name | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| cookieConsent | single letter to record acceptance of cookies | 1 year |
If you elect to block cookies, the above cookie is not used, but you will have to choose to block cookies each time you visit this site.
Essential cookies for user settings and tracking
Microsoft ASP (a scripting language on which this website is built) sets cookies to track a user moving around the website and to remember their selections or preferences that they've already made when looking at information or using a service:
| Name | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| ASPSESSIONID | randomly generated number | when user exits browser |
This website would not function without this cookie. For further details on the cookies set by Microsoft ASP, please refer to the Microsoft website.
How to control and delete cookies
We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you.
However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by our websites, or indeed any other website, you can do this through your browser settings. The Help function within your browser should tell you how.
Alternatively, you may wish to visit www.aboutcookies.org which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of browsers. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your machine as well as more general information about cookies.
Please be aware that restricting cookies may impact on the functionality of our website.
If you wish to view your cookie code, just click on a cookie to open it. You'll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.
For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.
To opt-out of third-parties collecting any data regarding your interaction on our website, please refer to their websites for further information.
Further information
Any enquiries about this policy should be addressed to NERC's Web Team.