Asda Carrier Bag Fund £33,000 Loan to North Highland Radio

That the Parliament commends Asda on the first round of funding from its carrier bag loan fund; understands that the supermarket is investing in local communities by using the proceeds from the 5p carrier bag charge to support social enterprises, the first project of this type in the UK; welcomes news that North Highland Radio (NHR) has benefited from a £33,000 loan; notes that NHR is an Alness-based community radio station that was established just over a year ago and provides a wide range of specialist and local programmes and is staffed and managed by 40 volunteers from all backgrounds across the north Highlands; understands that NHR will pay no interest for the first year as part of the fund's criteria and that interest paid after year one will be further invested to support more good causes; believes that the fund aims to provide investment capital of between £10,000 and £50,000 for new social enterprises, meeting a gap in the current market for small loans, and commends Asda for this scheme and the opportunities that it will deliver to groups using it.