How We Use Cookies

Our web site uses a technology known as cookies to store small amounts of data on our visitors’ computers or devices. Cookies are small pieces of text data that can be placed on a visitor’s computer, normally to provide enhanced functionality and/or improved relevancy of information.

We are providing the following information in accordance with the EU Cookie Law. Details of this regulation can be found at the following address: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-and-similar-technologies/

For more information about cookies, visit http://www.aboutcookies.org.

We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you.

First Party Cookie

The following cookies are added the web site itself and have the following purposes.

Cookies named PHPSESSID only contain a reference to a session stored on the web server. No information is stored in the user’s browser and this cookie can only be used the current web site.

Cookie Name	Purpose	Example Content	Expires
cookie_notice_closed	This cookie is simply used to allow a user to suppress the displaying of the cookie information notice on each page of the web site.	1	1 year from set/update.
PHPSESSID	To store a simple message when a form is submitted that can be displayed on a different page. For example, if an enquiry form is completed incorrectly, a message will be stored and presented to the user to indicate the errors in the submission. When an enquiry form is submitted successfully, a message is stored and presented to the user thanking them for their enquiry. No personal information is stored in this cookie.	9f70g2j1n25icp20lcb3g1jbf1	When the user’s browser is closed.

The following cookies only apply to web sites with member login functionality.

Cookie Name	Purpose	Example Content	Expires
PHPSESSID	To store a the logged in user’s username and a 128bit encrypted key. This information is required to allow a user to stay logged in to a web site without needing to submit their username and password for each page visited. Without this cookie, a user is unable to proceed to areas of the web site that require authenticated access.	9f70g2j1n25icp20lcb3g1jbf1	When the user’s browser is closed.

The following cookies only apply to web sites with ecommerce functionality (online shops).

Cookie Name	Purpose	Example Content	Expires
PHPSESSID	To store a users shopping basket	9f70g2j1n25icp20lcb3g1jbf1	When the user’s browser is closed.
osCsid	To store a users shopping basket and maintain the current users session.	k125md2t32g2ciic6ub9nkf7i9	When the user’s browser is closed.

Third Party Cookie

The following cookies are added the a third party and have the following purposes.

Google Cookies

For further information on Google Analytics cookies, please visit https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/concepts/gaConceptsCookies or view Google’s privacy policy http://www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html.

Cookie Name	Purpose	Example Content	Expires
__utma	This cookie is used to determine unique visitors to your site and it is updated with each page view. Additionally, this cookie is provided with a unique ID that Google Analytics uses to ensure both the validity and accessibility of the cookie as an extra security measure.	93652494.1109686414.1331048746. 1331048746.1331050549.2	2 years from set/update.
__utmb	This cookie is used to establish and continue a user session with your site. When a user views a page on your site, the Google Analytics code attempts to update this cookie. If it does not find the cookie, a new one is written and a new session is established. Each time a user visits a different page on your site, this cookie is updated to expire in 30 minutes, thus continuing a single session for as long as user activity continues within 30-minute intervals. This cookie expires when a user pauses on a page on your site for longer than 30 minutes. You can modify the default length of a user session with the _setSessionCookieTimeout() method.	93652494.1.10.1331050549	30 minutes from set/update.
__utmc	This cookie is no longer used the ga.js tracking code to determine session status. Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the __utmb cookie to determine whether or not to establish a new session for the user. For backwards compatibility purposes with sites still using the urchin.js tracking code, this cookie will continue to be written and will expire when the user exits the browser. However, if you are debugging your site tracking and you use the ga.js tracking code, you should not interpret the existence of this cookie in relation to a new or expired session.	93652494	Not set.
__utmz	This cookie stores the type of referral used the visitor to reach your site, whether via a direct method, a referring link, a web site search, or a campaign such as an ad or an email link. It is used to calculate search engine traffic, ad campaigns and page navigation within your own site. The cookie is updated with each page view to your site.	93652494.1331050549.2.2.utmcsr=google|utmccn= (organic) |utmcmd=organic|utmctr= british%20geological%20survey	6 months from set/update.