I believe that the Welsh language is a great part of the Welsh culture and identity. I grew up in England, but regularly travelled to Wales as a child, and found the language fascinating.

I do not have a good ear for languages. However, with the help of our Presiding Officer, or Llywydd, who always reads question numbers in Welsh, I have learnt to count in Welsh and enjoy doing this with my children.

My view is that people who wish to learn Welsh should be encouraged and supported to do so, but this should do done voluntarily, and not through compulsion.

That is why my Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party colleague Gareth Bennett, himself a Welsh learner, has put down amendments to the upcoming Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill to reflect this principle.

Gareth’s key amendment, which has my official support, would devolve to local authorities the power to decide if and to what degree Welsh should be compulsory in English medium schools from age eight to 16.

I feel that such localised policy would allow for better tailored learning.

For instance, in Monmouth or Newport, relatively few people are Welsh speakers.

The emphasis in these areas on Welsh learning in schools could be very different to the approach likely to be taken in a place like Gwynedd, where Welsh is very widely spoken. Our amendment, if supported, would allow that difference of emphasis to be reflected in schools and teaching in the different areas of Wales.

Currently, the Welsh Government wants to allow some Welsh medium schools to not teach any English until age eight. To ensure fair treatment, Gareth has submitted a further amendment to give an equal right to English medium schools to decide whether or not to teach Welsh up until age eight.

Again, this would allow a more nuanced approach to Welsh learning that would reflect the priorities of different schools in different areas, and support fair treatment between English and Welsh languages in education.

I think that is a better relationship to have with a language, if it is learnt through choice, rather than having it forced on you, if you or other people in your local community do not have a particular interest and desire to speak it.

That is what our amendments to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill this coming week are designed to encourage.

Let’s have fairness between the English and Welsh languages in the Welsh education system and a localised approach, rather than a one size fits all policy.