10 C. Administrative questions 23. The CPT is most grateful to the Secretary General and the Committee of Ministers for the action taken by them in 1995 vis-à-vis the Committee's budgetary requests for 1996. The financial resources required for carrying out the programme of visits planned for the current year have been made available. Further, measures have been taken with a view to strengthening the CPT's Secretariat and a retainer system has been introduced for members of the Committee's Bureau. The CPT shall always strive to be modest in its budgetary requests. However, in view of the continuing geographical expansion of its activities, the Committee will inevitably be obliged to request in due course that the resources placed at its disposal be further augmented. 24. As already indicated (cf. paragraph 17), further ratifications of the Convention are due soon, and it is safe to assume that, by the year 2000, some 40 to 45 States will have become Parties to the Convention. In particular, the ratification of the Convention by the Russian Federation - expected by 28 February 1997 - will have momentous implications for the CPT, given the on-site nature of the Committee's activities. In order to cope successfully with these developments, it will be necessary to rationalise the CPT's working methods as well as to further reinforce and reorganise the Committee's Secretariat. Comments shall be made upon these matters in the CPT's next General Report.