How we use cookies

What is a cookie?

Cookies are small text files of information automatically downloaded by your computer or mobile phone when you visit our site.

Cookies are stored in your web browser (eg Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer) and requested by our website when you visit us again. Most websites use cookies because, unlike you and me, websites have no memory to keep track of information, such as what pages you spend the most time on, or whether you view the site on a mobile phone or desktop computer.

Still curious? Watch Google’s video about cookies. Or check out allaboutcookies.org and youronlinechoices.eu.

How do cookies help us?

The information that cookies give us can help us design our website to work better for you. For example, if the data gathered by cookies shows us that most people look at our website on their mobile phone, we can concentrate on making a better mobile site for our visitors.

Which cookies do we use?

MSENHSFT cookies (first party)

Our cookies come from Google Analytics.

  • Google Analytics is widely used across the web to understand things such as which pages you arrive at, how you navigate around the site, and which kind of device you are using. To do this, Google collects individuals’ anonymised data and stitches it all together to create a big picture. All this data helps us make improvements to your experience. Find out more about Google Analytics cookies.

You may also see a sessionID cookie, that remembers your preferred settings for viewing our website during your viewing session so that you don’t need to change your accessibility settings on every page.

Other sites’ cookies (third party)

We sometimes connect our site to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. We also embed YouTube video on some of our pages. Like us, these external sites also use cookies, but we have no control over these third-party cookies.

You can see their privacy policies in more detail here:

What exact cookies do we use?

This section shows you some of the first-party cookies stored on your device by browsing our site. Here is the data they collect and why.

Google Analytics

  • _ga
  • _gid

We use Google Analytics to collect information about how you use our website, such as which pages you have visited and the browser that you used. We don't allow Google to use or share our analytics data. To find out more, please go to Google Analytics: Safeguarding your data.

Why are we telling you this?

Although your data is made anonymous to keep it safe, with all websites there is a risk, however small, that someone will try to maliciously steal information. We believe that cookies we use pose little threat to your privacy but we understand that you might still want to opt-out and turn off cookies.

How to turn off cookies

To delete or block existing cookies, click the link below for the browser you are using and follow the instructions.

Refusing cookies may impact your experience of using our website but it’s your choice whether to accept them.

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites, you need to download a browser add-on.

What next?

By continuing to use our website, we’ll assume you agree to the cookie policy we have described and are happy to use our website.