A photograph of education minister Ronald Plasterk has been used by the Volkskrant newspaper to advertise its new educational supplement, the NRC reports on Tuesday.

Plasterk is shown with a copy of the new supplement under his arm.
Ministers are forbidden by law to take part in commercial activities. But a spokesman for Plasterk said he allowed the photo to be used because of his wish to support newspaper innovation. But he did not realise the photograph would be blown up to a full page advert, the spokesman told the NRC.
Last month, the minister appeared in a photograph in the Telegraaf supporting the paper’s efforts to set up a public television station.