Privacy and cookies policies

The essential function of privacy policies is the disclosure of information to users about the way a website collects, processes, stores, discloses and otherwise uses personal information.

Privacy policies should be drafted to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. They should also take account of the guidance issued by the Information Commissioner's Office on the drafting of privacy policies.

The website privacy policy document contains general disclosures concerning these matters. The cookies policy is a specific kind of privacy policy, providing detailed disclosures about the use of cookies.

The website privacy policy document includes a summary cookies policy, and the latter document should only be necessary where a website makes extensive use of cookies. (If you do not know whether your website uses cookies, you should ask your web developer.)