Spain to conduct new statistical study on house evictions

The Spanish cabinet meeting announced on Friday a new statistical study about house evictions will be conducted to serve as a basis for new government measures on the issue. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said as data from different sources vary, they want to have more complete information in order to implement necessary measures on the problem. The National Institute of Statistics (INE), in collaboration with the Spanish Land and Commercial Registry, will be in charge of this new statistical study, which will be published every quarter. The evictions problem has caused several suicides since the economic crisis started in the country. The Spanish government adopted emergency measures in November, announcing that evictions would stop for two years for the most vulnerable homeowners and a "fund of houses" with cheap rental accommodation would be set up for those who have already lost their homes. Bank figures showed that up to November, there have been 172,000 evictions since the housing bubble burst in Spain. Scarce employment opportunities have made it difficult for many families to pay their mortgages.