Browser Settings

If your Web Browser's settings are not appropriate, you will not be able to access some of our online services. You may therefore need to check or modify some of the following settings, which can be found under Options or Settings in the Tools menu of most common Browsers.

Cookies

Cookies are small files which websites are able to store on your hard drive, and then read back the next time you access a page on the site. However, these are quite harmless - they are not programs and cannot harm your computer in any way, but just store small pieces of data. They have however received a bad press, as some less-scrupulous websites and web advertisers can use them to collect information about which pages you visit.

It is necessary that your browser accepts Cookies or you will unfortunately not be able to log into an account here. Our Cookies allow us to provide a secure operating environment and to track the useage of our webpages; they contain only small, randomised and encrypted tokens. No confidential or personalised data of any sort is stored in a Cookie.

OK - your browser is accepting Cookies

ActiveX Controls

These are small, often invisible, programs that many websites download and run on your computer. Most are harmless and may be vital for the correct operation of a website, but others can be dangerous and most modern web browsers are now set by default to block these - you should always be cautious about accepting a prompt to download or run any ActiveX control unless you fully trust the website from which it comes.

Because of their potential for causing confusion and security problems, we do not download any ActiveX controls to your computer. You should never be prompted to download or run any such programs from our website; if this does happen, it indicates that your computer has previously become infected with a virus program or spyware, and you should check it with appropriate anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

OK - ActiveX controls are not required for this website.

JavaScript

JavaScript is an older and much safer way of running a more restricted type of program within your Browser. It is safe to permit JavaScript to execute on your computer, and Browsers enable it by default.

We use JavaScript to implement important elements of your online security, and to enhance the facilities the site provides. Consequently, if you do not set your browser to enable JavaScript it will unfortunately not be possible for you to log into an account here, and some other site services may also not be available.