Cookies
Not the tasty kind, but a small text file stored on your computer used by this site to remember information.
EU cookie directive
From 26 May 2011 a new European Union directive required all websites to gain the consent of our users to download cookies on to their machines. On 24 May 2012, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) released new guidance which said that a website can operate with cookies through 'implied consent.'
Implied consent
We want our users to find information and services quickly, we have taken the decision to promote how we use cookies on our website and provide you with enough information to control your own settings. Implied consent means that by using our website, you agree to cookies being set. If users want to disable cookies, this policy talks you through how to do this.
Cookies
When visiting our website, we will sometimes place small data files on you computer or mobile device. These are called cookies. Many large websites do this. We do this to make our website work better.
We want to provide you with the highest level of service and collect limited personal information to enable a better, more relevant experience from our website. You can access our website's homepage and browse our sites without disclosing your personal data. You are invited to register / sign-in for completing service requests through online forms, so that you may benefit from added value content, which may help you complete a form, do business, browse content and view information relevant to our services.
The following table shows what cookies we collect and why:
The Cookies We Collect
| Cookie Name | Why is this need? | When does it expire? |
|---|---|---|
| XSESSIONID | The "first-party session cookie" helps us keep track of your browser activity and preferences as you navigate and interact with our Portal website. It's essential for System C to provide this service | As soon as you close your browser. |
| STM | The "first-party cookie" helps us keep track of your browser activity and preferences as you navigate and interact with our Portal website. It's essential for System C to provide this service | As soon as you close your browser. |
| portalContrastTheme | Stores contrast and font size set by the user. | As soon as you close your browser. |
| Olduser/oldSessionID | IDP cookies are needed to store the user's session information so we know who the current logged in user is between page requests. | As soon as you close your browser. |
| JESSIONID | As with XSESSIONID but for non-secure comms | As soon as you close your browser. |
Removing Cookies from Your Device
Most cookies are easy to delete. Deleting can be done either through your Internet browser (Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer etc.) or on your device though your file management software (Windows XP etc.) for further information please visit allaboutcookies.org.