Details about cookies on our website
We use ‘cookies’ to collect information about how you use our website. Find out more about the cookies we use, what they’re for and when they expire.
There are two types of cookies:
- session cookies, these are deleted when you close your browser
- persistent cookies, these last longer and expire after a certain amount of time
Cookies that measure website use
We use Google Analytics software (Universal Analytics) to collect anonymised information about how you use our website. We do this to help make sure our website meets the needs of its users and to help us make improvements
We do not allow Google to use or share the data about how you use our website.
Google Analytics collects information about:
- the pages you visit
- how long you spend on each page
- how you got to the service
- what you click on while you’re visiting the website and/or using the service
- what links you open in emails from us
The data we collect on user behaviour is used by us to improve our services. For example, so that they are intuitive, accessible and fulfil their function. We retain the data for up to 2 years for this purpose. This period runs from the last point at which the webpage was accessed. No data from cookies which could identify you, such as IP addresses, are collected by us.
Google Analytics sets the following cookies.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
| _gid | Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users in browsing activity | 24 hours |
| _ga | Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users in browsing activity | 2 years |
| _gat | Google Analytics cookie used to limit the percentage of requests | 1 minute |
| _gat_UA | Google Analytics cookie used to limit the percentage of requests | 1 minute |
In addition, if you share a link to a page on our services, the service you share it on (for example, Facebook) may set a cookie. We have no control over cookies set on other websites – you can turn them off, but not through us.
Cookies that remember your settings
These cookies do things like remember your preferences and the choices you make, to personalise your experience of using our website.
Strictly necessary cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
| GUEST_LANGUAGE_ID | This sets the language you are viewing the website in (English or Welsh) | 1 year |
| LFR_SESSION_STATE_20105 | User session cookie, where XXXXX is the user ID | When you close your browser |
| JSESSIONID | Used to maintain an anonymous user session by the server. | When you close your browser |
| ApplicationGatewayAffinity | Used for maintaining user sessions. This cookie is set by this website as it runs on the Windows Azure cloud platform. It enables web browser traffic to be kept assigned to single server during certain sections of website. | When you close your browser |
| ApplicationGatewayAffinityCORS | This cookie is used by the Windows Azure Application Gateway in addition to ApplicationGatewayAffinity to maintain sticky session even on cross-origin requests (information received from a resource with a different domain name). | When you close your browser |
Cookie message
You may see a banner when you visit our website inviting you to accept cookies. We’ll set cookies so that your computer knows you’ve seen it and not to show it again, and also to store your settings.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
| COOKIE_SUPPORT | This stores the preferences you select during web browsing | 1 year |
| cookie_consent | This saves your cookie consent settings | 1 year |