THE Welsh Liberal Democrats have responded to the Labour-Plaid budget, describing it as a missed opportunity to build Wales's economic future, root out waste in the NHS and target funding at the poorest school children.
Meanwhile Welsh Conservatives have branded it 'hypocritical' and 'unacceptable'.
Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "Welsh Liberal Democrats want front line health services protected but that does not mean that savings cannot be made in NHS bureaucracy.
"It is no good protecting the health budget when there is evidence that £1 billion of the health budget is being misspent.
"Despite the drop in unemployment announced in today's figures, the economic recovery is still fragile. In these circumstances, it beggars belief that the economy and transport department that should be driving the Welsh economic recovery has faced some of the biggest cuts.
"The Labour-Plaid Government has consistently underfunded our schools. Education spending in Wales is over £530 lower per pupil than in England and this is reflected in Wales's poorer exam performance. We welcome the commitment to the roll out of the foundation phase but it is desperately disappointing that the government hasn't taken the opportunity to close the funding gap at all levels, starting with children from the poorest backgrounds. Neither should we be fooled into thinking that this is an education budget when the government are paying for their school funding by cutting cash from universities and FE colleges.
"As families and businesses tighten their belts, the public expect our Government to do the same. It is encouraging that this year's budget seems to be looking for the savings in administration and central bureaucracy that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for.
"However, in some areas the steps being taken are far too tentative. One year after the Welsh Liberal Democrats proposed merging the numerous environmental quangos, the Labour Plaid government is only now promising 'a review of options' aimed at saving taxpayers money in this area.
"The Welsh Liberal Democrats will be seeking to work cooperatively with the government to address these concerns."
Welsh Conservatives have also labelled parts of the budget as 'unacceptable'
Responding to the publication of the Welsh Assembly Government's Draft Budget, Shadow Finance Minister Nick Ramsay AM said: "This budget represents a cut of hundreds of millions of pounds to our NHS over the coming three years.
"That is completely unacceptable and puts frontline services at risk.
"The NHS has already faced cuts of £435 million this year and it has now been confirmed there is much more to come.
"The Minister's hypocritical claims of protecting health fly in the face of Labour-Plaid's weeks of sustained criticism of the Welsh Conservative pledge to safeguard the health budget.
"We will continue to lobby the Assembly Government to protect the NHS from Labour-Plaid cuts.
"The Welsh Assembly Government has received a fair settlement from Westminster, with cuts of less than two per cent a year and lower than they themselves were planning for.
"It is now time for Labour-Plaid to be judged on their harmful plans for the future of our Health Service."