Letter: Why cheques take days to clear

Sir: H W Barker (letter, 18 July) says the way to stop banks "messing around" is to use cash rather than cheques. Perhaps the UK clearing banks have changed their policy recently. When I deposited an amount of cash, in pounds sterling, at the Dover branch of my bank three years ago, I was informed that it would take several days to "clear" and appear on my current account balance. Presumably they needed to check the credit of the Bank of England.

CAROLINE SPECK

Brussels