Terms & Conditions

1. General

Our Privacy Policy is designed to tell you about our practices regarding collection, use, and disclosure of information that you may provide via this site. Please be sure to read this entire Privacy Policy before using or submitting information to this site.

2. Using our website

Please see our terms and conditions. Whenever you submit information via this site, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

3. Use of Information: Collection

(a) Active Information Collection

Like many websites, this website actively collects information from its visitors both by asking you specific questions and by permitting you to communicate directly with us via e-mail and feedback forms. Some of the information that you submit may be personally identifiable information (that is, information that can be uniquely identified with you, such as your full name, address, e-mail address, phone number, and so on).

(b) Passive Information Collection

Passive information collection is gathered without you actively providing the information and uses various technologies and methods such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, cookies, Internet tags, and navigational data collection. If you are a user with general public and anonymous access the Thermal Economics website does not store or capture personal information but merely logs the user’s IP address that is automatically recognised by the web server. An IP address is a number assigned to your computer by your Internet Service Provider(ISP) so you can access the Internet and is generally considered to be non-personally identifiable information, because in most cases an IP address is dynamic (changing each time you connect to the Internet), rather than static (unique to a particular user’s computer). We use your IP address to diagnose problems with our server, report aggregate information, determine the fastest route for your computer to use in connecting to our site, and to administer and improve the site.

4. Cookies

We do not use cookies for collecting user information. A “cookie” is a bit of information that a website sends to your web browser that helps the site remember information about you and your preferences. “Session” cookies are temporary bits of information that are erased once you exit your Web browser window or otherwise turn your computer off. Session cookies are used to improve navigation on websites and to collect aggregate statistical information.

5. Internet Tags

We do not use Internet tags. ‘Internet tags” (also known as single-pixel GIFs, clear GIFs, invisible GIFs, and 1-by-1 GIFs) are smaller than cookies and tell the website server information such as the IP address and browser type related to the visitor’s computer.

6. Other navigational data

This site uses other navigational data.

Navigational data (“log files,” “server logs,” and “clickstream” data) are used for system management, to improve the content of the site, market research purposes, and to communicate information to visitors. This data cannot personally identify individuals.

7. Web Statistics

We use log files generated by our web servers to analyse site usage and statistics but the files do not identify any personal information. Please see the explanation above, under passive information collection. Log file analysis helps us to understand usage patterns on our website and to make improvements to our service.

8. Use of Information : Disclosure

Except as otherwise stated, we may use information you provide via this site to improve the content of our site, to customise the site to your preferences, to communicate information to you (if you have requested it), for marketing and research purposes, and for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy. If you provide personally identifiable information to this site, we may combine such information with other actively collected information unless we specify otherwise at the point of collection. We will take reasonable measures to prevent personally identifiable information from being combined with passively collected information, unless you consent otherwise.

9. Access and Correction of Information

To keep your personally identifiable information accurate, current, and complete, please contact us as specified below. We will take reasonable steps to update or correct personally identifiable information in our possession that you have previously submitted via this site.

10. Security

Any information you provide will be held securely and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Your personal details will not normally be disclosed to third parties. In some circumstances however we may need to disclose your personal details to a third party so that they can provide a service you have requested, or fulfil a request for information. Any information about you that we pass to a third party will be held securely by that party, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, and used only to provide the services or information you have requested. (See above, under Use of Information: Disclosure)

You have a right to request a copy of your personal details at any time to check the accuracy of the information held. If you wish to do this, please write (explaining that your interest is in www.hmce.gov.uk) to the:

Data Protection Officer Department of Trade and Industry Open Government and Data Protection Unit 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET

We take reasonable steps to protect your personally identifiable information as you transmit your information from your computer to our site and to protect such information from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. You should keep in mind that no internet transmission is ever 100% secure or error-free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from this site may not be secure, and you should therefore take special care in deciding what information you send to us via e-mail.

11. Links to other websites

This site may contain links or references to other websites. Please be aware that we do not control other websites and that, in any case, this Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit. Please see our disclaimer concerning other websites.

12. How to Contact Us

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or the information practices of this site, please contact us here.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

If this Privacy Policy changes, the revised policy will be posted on this site. Please check back periodically, and especially before you provide any personally identifiable information. This Privacy Policy was last updated on 19 April 2004.