What are cookies?

A cookie is a small piece of text sent to your browser by a website you visit. It helps the website to remember information about your visit, like your preferred language and other settings. That can make your next visit easier and the site more useful to you. Cookies play an important role. Without them, using the web would be a much more frustrating experience.

There are three kinds of cookie.

1. Essential cookies
   Certain cookies are essential for saving settings or preferences during your visit or until your next visit to a website. If you decline cookies from a particular website, the site will ‘remember’ your preference by placing an essential cookie. Without this, you would have to answer the same questions each time you visit.
2. Tracking cookies
   Some cookies inform the website which pages you are viewing, in what order, and for how long. Using this information, the website can compile statistics that will help it adapt to its visitors' wishes.
3. Third-party cookies
   Some websites contain cookies from third-party websites. When placed on your computer, they automatically activate handy extras, like Google Maps (with interactive route description), a Facebook 'like' button, or a Twitter messaging option. These cookies inform the website you are viewing whether you are logged into Google, Facebook or Twitter.

This website uses all three kinds of cookies.

No personal information

The cookies placed by this website contain no personal information. They cannot be used to identify you. This would require a combination of type-3 cookies and your login details for third-party websites (which can often be traced to individuals). Without additional information, cookies cannot threaten your privacy.

Google analytics and advertising

We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or they’ve collected from your use of their services.

This website contains Google Adsense advertising. Read how Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps.

Disabling cookies

You can disable cookies in your browser. In that case parts of this website will not quite work.

If the information on our policies regarding cookie use changes, you will automatically be informed when visiting this website again.