CAT/C/40/2 page 8 Subcommittee will become a 25-member body,16 with a concomitant requirement for an increase in budgetary resources. The Subcommittee anticipates a period of adjustment at that stage, before it is able to use its increased capacity to the full. B. Visits carried out in 2007 and early 2008 18. The Subcommittee visited Mauritius from 8 October to 18 October 2007 and the Maldives from 10 to 17 December 2007; it visited Sweden from 10 to 15 March 2008.17 During these visits, the delegations focused on the development process of the national preventive mechanism and the situation with regard to protection against ill-treatment, particularly of people deprived of their liberty in police facilities, prisons and in facilities for children. 19. At the end of 2007, the Subcommittee announced its forthcoming programme of regular visits in 2008, to Benin, Mexico, Paraguay and Sweden.18 The Subcommittee also made plans for a number of preliminary visits to initiate the process of dialogue with States parties. 20. The initial visit to a State party is an opportunity to deliver important messages about the Subcommittee and its core concerns to the State party and to other relevant interlocutors. The Subcommittee stressed the confidential nature of its work, in accordance with the Optional Protocol. On its first three visits, it met with many officials in order to establish cooperative relations with the States parties and to explain fully its mandate and preventive approach. The Subcommittee also met with members of developing national preventive mechanisms and with members of civil society. 21. The first two visits involved a larger number of Subcommittee members than would normally be the case, in order that all members could take part in at least one visit in 2007. This was part of the Subcommittee’s strategy to develop a consistent approach on visits despite the changing composition of delegations on visits. The visit to Sweden was of shorter duration. The Subcommittee adopted a more targeted approach, taking into account the preventive visiting already undertaken in Sweden and based on consultation and cooperation with the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.19 16 In accordance with Article 5 (1) of the OPCAT. 17 For details of the places visited, see annex III. 18 The three countries chosen by initial drawing of lots - Mauritius, Maldives and Sweden - were announced in June 2007 as countries to be visited in the initial programme of visits. For the programme of regular SPT visits in 2008, see annex IV. 19 Article 31 of the OPCAT encourages the SPT and bodies established under regional conventions to consult and co-operate with a view to avoiding duplication and promoting effectively the objectives of the OPCAT.