Conservatives to scrap ContactPoint

The Conservatives today published a policy paper entitled, Reversing the rise of the surveillance state in which they have pledged to scrap the ContactPoint database:

In practice, the Conservatives propose eleven measures to protect personal privacy and hold government to account:

Fewer Databases, Greater Protection of Personal Privacy

1. Scrap the National Identity Register and ContactPoint databases, flawed systems that will create greater – not less – public exposure to risk.
A Conservative government will deploy IT and databases when it can be done securely, without exposing the public to greater risks. The National Identity Register and Contact Point are costly systems, which are seriously flawed and expose the public to unnecessary risk and the taxpayer to unacceptable contingent liabilities. The resources absorbed could be better deployed towards other practical measures within their relevant departmental programs. As such, a Conservative government would scrap both databases and deploy the resources to more effective measures.

Reversing the rise of the surveillance state p.9

Whilst security concerns might win the day, I am not sure that the financial argument really works here. This Labour Government have spent some £224M on ContactPoint and it would seem that just at the time when it is due to go live we will are likely to see it scrapped by a newly elected Conservative Government - but I guess that's the price of democracy!