When the dust has settled...

British airspace was reopened on Tuesday evening, quite probably because the airlines forced the Government's hand by putting planes in the air from various parts of the world, all bound for the UK. Once the (volcanic) dust has settled - or possibly even before then - there will be questions asked.

• Was the ban on flying an over-reaction on the part of the authorities, and was the computer model on which it was based sufficiently accurate in its forecast?
• Why did it take nearly four days to set up a meeting of Government ministers to discuss how to deal with the problem?
• Was the decision to despatch naval vessels to the Channel based on the fact that we have an election coming up?
• In any case, given that there is plenty of capacity on cross-Channel ferries, why send those ships to the Channel instead of Spain given that Madrid airport was being used as the hub for intercontinental flights?

And there are plenty of others.