A/HRC/36/9 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-seventh session from 1 to 12 May 2017. The review of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was held at the 7th meeting, on 4 May 2017. The delegation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was headed by the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, Sir Oliver Heald. At its 14th meeting, held on 9 May 2017, the Working Group adopted the report on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 2. On 13 February 2017, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Albania, Ethiopia and Mongolia. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/27/GBR/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/27/GBR/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/27/GBR/3 and Corr.1). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Czechia, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of America was transmitted to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland confirmed that it represented the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. 6. With regard to the decision to leave the European Union, or “Brexit”, it noted that the Government had published a white paper on 30 March 2017, on its approach to converting existing European Union law into domestic law on the day that the United Kingdom left the European Union. The Government had also made clear that it had no plans to withdraw from the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European Convention on Human Rights). The delegation stated that it was clear that rights and liberties had been protected in United Kingdom law long before the Human Rights Act had been passed in 1998 and they would continue to be protected in the future. 7. It indicated that progress had been made since its last universal periodic review in 2012, in several areas. The delegation reaffirmed the commitment of the United Kingdom to human rights. 8. Regarding the third cycle of the universal period review, the delegation emphasized that it hoped to make constructive recommendations on modern slavery, a global problem. 9. The delegation stated that in developing its national report, the Government and also the devolved administrations had consulted with civil society and the national human rights institutions and the dialogue had been very constructive. The Government had also 2