When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. 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 during one task

  • recognising that you have already given a username and password so you don’t need to enter it for every web page requested

  • measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and that there is enough capacity to ensure they are fast

You can manage these small files yourself and learn more about cookies from the Information Commissioner's office.

Cookies for measuring use of services

Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. This is to ensure that the website is available when you want it and to help us understand what you want to use.

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to Google Code

Managing your cookies

To find out how to allow, block, delete and manage cookies, follow the link below and select the browser you are using. You can also read your browser's built-in or online help for more information.

How to control cookies.