However, North Wales Police said this was no blank cheque for motorcyclists to disregard road rules and laws.

BBC: North Wales Police say 'safe' motorcyclists are welcome

The government says there is no question of taxpayers handing a blank cheque to British Energy.

BBC: Q&A: British Energy's crisis

Mid Devon District Council has no formal policy, but would not accept a cheque if a council tax campaigner did not want them to.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Devon | 'Rights infringed' in tax protest

In contrast, the fingerprint-recognition system being used in some American shops, called Pay By Touch, appears to be more convenient but less secure, since shoppers are no longer required to present a bank card or cheque to buy things.

ECONOMIST: Security

It has plans to modernise the undercapitalised banking system, which currently has no facilities for electronic payments and only a rudimentary process for cheque-clearing.

ECONOMIST: Struggling to pick up the pieces | The

"Although the Payments Council was clear that suitable alternatives would need to be available before cheques were abolished, at the point when the Treasury select committee launched an investigation into this issue in April 2011, no progress had been made to develop suitable alternatives to the cheque, " the Treasury said in its consultation document.

BBC: Cheques: Payments Council to be curbed

The supermarkets feel no need to offer the money-losing services featured by most banks, notably cheque-writing accounts.

ECONOMIST: Supermarket banking