Cookies

How we use cookies

When delivering services over the internet it is common practice to store small amounts of information on your computer or phone. This information is stored by your web browser in small files called cookies.

A cookie is a text-only string of information that a website transfers to the cookie file of the browser on your computer’s hard disk so that a website can remember who you are. A cookie will typically contain the name of the domain from which the cookie has come, the “lifetime” of the cookie, and a value, often a randomly generated unique number.

When you visit our website, your browser will receive cookies from our website. Cookies may be used in the following ways:

  • To enable the personalisation features on our website (which give you, for example, the ability to submit deal opportunities to our website. Another example is when requesting information on a deal opportunity your name and details will be automatically completed in the request form if you have registered as a user of the website).

  • To compile anonymous, aggregated statistics that allow us to understand how users use our site and to help us improve the structure of our website. We cannot identify you personally from these statistics.

You can block / remove cookies using your browser. Guidance on how to do this is set out below in the section “Disabling / enabling cookies”.

There are two main types of cookies, first party and third party.

  • First party cookies: these are our own cookies.

  • Third party cookies: these are cookies used by other companies’ tools. The only third party cookies we use are for Google Analytics. These cookies are controlled by them.

Two types of cookies may be used on our website, session cookies, which are temporary and remain in the cookie file of your browser until you leave the site, and persistent cookies, which remain in the cookie file of your browser for much longer.

Our web content management software predates the EU Cookies Law and sets cookies in your browser as part of its default behaviour. The names and functions of these cookies are as follows:

scf_prod_csrf_token
A security cookie used to identify the user and prevent Cross Site Request Forgery attacks. (2 hours, Strictly Necessary)

scf_prod_tracker
Contains the last 5 pages viewed, encrypted for security. Typically used for form or error message returns. (Session, Functionality)

Logged in administrator users may have additional cookies set.

PHPSESSID
Session cookie set by our hosting. (Session, Functional)

cookie_consent_level, cookie_consent_user_accepted, cookie_consent_user_consent_token
These cookies are set by the Cookie Consent plugin which shows you our Cookie Notice, and records your acceptance of our cookies.(Functional, 400 days)

We cannot prevent these cookies from being set by default without compromising the function of our website content management system.

This website does not store any information that would, on its own, allow us to identify individual users of this service without their permission. Any cookies that may be used by this website are used either solely on a per session basis or to maintain user preferences. Cookies are not shared with any third parties.

Disabling / enabling cookies

You can accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser. However, you may not be able to use all the interactive features of our website if cookies are disabled.

How to change your cookie settings in Android
How to change your cookie settings in Firefox
How to change your cookie settings in Google Chrome
How to change your cookie settings in Internet Explorer
How to change your cookie settings in Safari (iOS)
How to change your cookie settings in Safari (OS X)